Eternally Yours
by Princess of Wands
Summary: Luna has a secret admirer whose gifts and letters cause the school to speculate. But as the messages become more sinister and even dangerous, it's up to Harry to save her before it's too late.
1. Chapter One: The Letter

This is my first HP fic, so be kind and please review! I love Luna Lovegood and really wanted to write a story about her, because, disturbing as it is, I identify with her more than the other characters. In here, Luna has a secret admirer who sends her messages signed 'Eternally Yours,' and lavish gifts that go from weird to flattering to downright scary. Harry can't make her see the danger, and takes it upon himself to protect her. Interesting things happen! See if you can guess the admirer – I'll have clues in the letters in future chapters, but for now, enjoy the first part!

PG for now. I'm going to try to keep it clean, but that may change. Characters have a bad habit of doing naughty things quite without my control, and I just have to let them. ;0

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own any of this. That honor goes to J.K. Rowling. I'm just having some fun with characters I love, and hopefully no one's going to sue me over this. I'm already over my head with school loans...

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**Chapter One – The Letter**

The letter came at breakfast.

It was written on a simple piece of white parchment, folded neatly in thirds and stuffed into an envelope bearing the address:

Miss Luna Lovegood  
The Great Hall  
Hogwarts

Inside were hurriedly scribbled violet words in an old-fashioned scrawl that took up most of the parchment. The barn own who delivered it fluttered neatly to the table and stuck its head inside Luna's goblet of pumpkin juice, but she didn't notice. She was busy staring at the parchment before her, her wide eyes somehow more protrubent than usual.

Darling, (it said)

Forgive me the familiarity when I haven't properly introduced myself, but feel comforted that in time you will know me like I know you. Every moment we're apart weighs heavily on my soul, and I yearn for the happy hour when your eyes will meet mine and you'll see me as I am. Until then, a rose for every moment I thought of you this summer, and I remain, as ever, your servant and ardent admirer.

Eternally Yours

And indeed, Luna barely had time to finish the note before hundreds of owls poured into the Great Hall, bearing in twos and threes gigantic bouquets of technicolor roses which flashed and changed color rapidly. Sea green. Melon. Iridescent blue. Buttercup yellow. Scarlet red. Royal purple.

Until now, Luna and the note had gone unnoticed. Students frequently received letters on the first day of school from parents offering well-wishes, so it was nothing unusual, and anyway, no one paid attention to what Loony Lovegood did unless it was something they could make fun of. At the Slytherin table, Malfoy had received his usual box of sweets which he was only too pleased to brag about, but it was nothing like the rainbow of flowers heading for the Ravenclaw girl.

Students' heads turned and their jaws dropped as the flock of owls one by one dropped their bouquets in front of Luna until the pile nearly concealed her. After this, they started lining the walls of the Great Hall so the room was decorated with flashing roses. Thousands of them. Beautiful and fluorescent, with a scent so sweet and strong it pervaded the entire hall. And Luna simply glanced from the note to the roses and back again, bewilderment clear on her face.

The Great Hall was silent for a long moment until the girl next to Luna snatched the note out of her hands. Her eyes bulged as she read, despite Luna's failed attempts to get it back, and within seconds the girl was repeating the contents to her friends. The message spread quickly to all four house tables. They buzzed with excitement. A secret admirer! Loony Lovegood of all people!

No one knew what to make of it, but they all had their theories. "She sent them to herself," Parvati Patil said confidently to her best friend Lavender Brown. "I mean, what _else_ could it be? It's just a cry for attention."

"And where would she get the gold?" Ginny demanded sharply. "They must have cost a fortune."

"Well, her father's rather well off, isn't he? Owns some kind of magazine, I heard," Lavender put in knowledgeably. Other students were obviously in the same mind, for they were sending contemptuous looks at poor Luna, and Pansy Parkinson's raucous, mocking laughter could be heard from the Slytherin table. Malfoy's expression was similarly gleeful as he said something to the boy next to him and they both snickered.

But Harry, watching Luna intently from across the room, couldn't believe it. He could see how anyone who wanted to think badly of the girl might say so, but he knew for a fact that Luna didn't care what other people thought, and for this reason would never call attention to herself by ordering thousands of roses. Besides, all it took was one look at her face to know that she was as stunned as the rest of them.

"What do you reckon?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione quietly. He couldn't take his eyes off Luna, who had put the letter away and was calmly finishing her bacon, pretending not to hear the giggles around her.

"About that secret admirer fellow?" Ron snorted. "Anyone who falls in love with _her_ must be mental. Probably some deranged Azkaban escapee."

"That's not _funny_, Ron," Hermione snapped, looking up from the new schedule she was examining. She had been in a bad temper with him since they got on the Hogwarts Express the day before, for reasons unknown to anyone but herself. Ron just rolled his eyes and deliberately turned his back on her.

"Whoever sent them must have cleaned out an entire store," Seamus said, eagerly craning his neck to look. "Charmed roses are really expensive." He sounded awed.

"Like I said," Ron stated, chewing noisily. "Mental." A piece of egg fell from his mouth and landed on the table. Hermione eyed it with obvious disgust, but wisely decided not to comment.

"Come on," she said irritably, gathering her books. "Transfiguration starts in fifteen minutes. I don't want to be stuck in the back again this year."

"Yeah." Ron swallowed and pushed his plate aside. "Coming, Harry? _Harry_?" He had to poke him twice to get his attention.

"What? Oh... right." He stood and looked back at Luna, who was biting daintily into a croissant, her eyes lowered to avoid the laughing students trying to catch her attention. "Bit strange, really. They could have confronted her in secret. Why embarrass her like this?"

"Dunno. Probably just someone having a laugh." Ron didn't sound very interested. "Race you to the Entrance Hall." And when he took off, Harry had little choice but to follow, although his mind stayed behind with Luna and the note, wondering.

O O O

Harry's first day back had gone smoothly, certainly nothing like the year before. They were greeted in Transfiguration by a stern-eyed Professor McGongall who reminded them that although OWLs were over, this was no time to slack off. This was followed by a few hours of Herbology with Professor Sprout who gave a similar speech, although more lightly, and by the time he left Charms that afternoon his head was spinning with the work load he predicted. Only Hermione managed a cheerful face as the three of them headed to the Great Hall for supper.

They turned a corner and Harry spotted a girl walking quickly in the opposite direction, her head bent and long scraggly blonde hair concealing her face.

"Go ahead," he said, surprising himself. "I'll meet you there."

Ron raised an eyebrow as he looked at Harry and then over at Luna. A muscle in his jaw twitched. "Harry..." he started, but Hermione put a gentle hand on his arm and tugged.

"Right," she said cheerfully. "We'll see you later. Come _on_, Ron." And he yielded to her tugging, but not without several suspicious looks back at Harry. Harry knew he was right, and that Luna's note was none of his business, but he couldn't help feeling that there was something strange about the situation (besides the fact that it had happened at all). He would have called it a premonition, except that three years with Professor Trelawney had made him wary of such things. Anyway, what was so sinister about some flowers and a love note?

But these thoughts didn't stop him from striding down the corridor after her and calling, "Luna!"

She was surprised . In fact, she dropped her books at the sound of her name, and this delay in her stride gave Harry a chance to catch up. She clutched her books her chest as she rose and blinked. Although her wand was still stashed behind her ear for safekeeping, she appeared slightly less dotty than the year before. She had traded in her radish earrings for dangling stars, and wore a candy necklace, which, although strange, was still more normal than a necklace of paper clips.

"Er..." said Harry, unnerved by her silence. "Had a good summer?"

"Oh. It was alright." She shrugged.

"Find any Krinkle-Headed Snifflings?"

"Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. Sadly, no, but Daddy and I are going to try again over the winter holidays." Her voice sounded serene, but there was an edge to it that made him wonder.

"Luna, look," he said in a rush. "Do you _mind_ what happened this morning?"

"Mind?" Her eyes were blank as she looked at him. "Why should I?"

"Well, you know... the note and what people are saying, and all."

She smiled faintly. "It's just a joke. Nothing I'm not used to." Harry remembered seeing her the last night of school the year before, posting requests for the people who stole her things to return them. He had felt a desperate stab of sympathy for her then, and he felt it even stronger now.

"Why does it have to be a joke? Is it that crazy to think that someone might actually like you?" Luna stared at him and Harry felt his cheeks flush slightly in embarrassment. "I guess you're right. But, well, they'll get over it."

Luna shrugged. "I suppose."

She made a movement to turn, but Harry frowned and said, "You're not coming to dinner, are you? Look, avoiding them won't do any good. It'll just be worse when you do show up." _And I should know_, he added silently, bitterly.

"I'm not avoiding anyone," she said and for the first time her eyes focused and she looked at him seriously. "I'm just not hungry."

"Come on," Harry coaxed, wondering at the same time why he cared whether Luna starved or not. "Let's go eat. Sit with Ron and Hermione and I. I know Ginny's been anxious to talk to you." He didn't know if this was true, but Ginny would take her under her wing either way. She had a big heart and didn't mind sharing it.

Luna smiled at him. A true smile, not the dreamy vague ones she usually gave. Something genuine. She even briefly showed her teeth.

"You're sweet. Thank you, but really I am not hungry. I have to write Daddy – he'll want to know how my first day went – and I want to get an early start on my homework. OWL year, you know. It's been piling up already." And with a final little nod, she turned and continued towards the Ravenclaw common room.

Harry blinked after her in some surprise at the abrupt end to their conversation. But he shrugged to himself and started towards the Great Hall. If she didn't want to acknowledge the threat, it was her problem. And it was probably fine anyway – he was just being paranoid when he detected a hint of something dark in the message. But he wasn't thinking of this very much as he went to join Ron and Hermione. He was puzzling over how Luna had called him sweet – and how he really hadn't minded at all.


	2. Chapter Two: Malfoy?

Hi again! Sorry this chapter took so long – I've had a busy week and then my computer decided to annoy me by not allowing me log on to the internet... _that_ was fun. But all is good now. :) 

This chapter is a little longer than I'd hoped. They won't usually be. Or maybe I can't promise that... I don't know. Anyway, I hope you like! Thanks for the comments and keep reviewing.

Enough delay – here you go!

**Chapter Two – Malfoy??**

Although Luna's love letter was the popular topic of discussion the next day, gossip died down by Wednesday, due mostly to the lack of visual reminders after Luna had Professor Flitwick donate the roses to St. Mungos. She even made an appearance at dinner, and although some students still whispered and giggled as she walked past, it wasn't enough to bother her much.

The temporary calm, however, was shattered Thursday morning when another letter arrived – and another gift. Morning chatter came to an abrupt halt and the laughing started when a gigantic teddy bear, carried by fifteen owls, swept into the hall. The poor panting birds were eager to make the delivery and dropped it too soon (unfortunately on poor Orla Quirke's head) before collapsing on the Ravenclaw table in exhaustion. They were followed by a little brown owl who gracefully landed before Luna and deposited its letter, hooting softly and looking very pleased with itself.

Luna stared at the letter – evidently in disbelief. She showed no sign of touching it, and it wasn't until one of the Ravenclaw girls made a lunge across the table that she snatched it out of the way and opened it. This time she made no attempt to conceal the letter from the girls around her who leaned forward with their mouths open. Her face was blank as she read the words.

My Love,

In time I will give you all you desire. For now, take this token of my feelings and I hope that every night as I ache for you, you will embrace it and think of me.

Eternally Yours

When she finished reading, she handed the letter to the girl next to her to stop her breathing down her neck and turned rather sadly to look at the giant teddy bear. It was a rather hideous thing (Ron's reaction summed it up perfectly: 'Ugh.'). About seven feet tall and three feet wide, the bear had wide green eyes and a rather sappy expression on its face. Its arms were flung open to embrace the world, and the soft tan of its fur was marred only by giant heart on its stomach with the words 'I love you' in fancy script. The green ribbon tied neatly around its neck made the entire thing way too cutesy.

"Oh no, not again," Hermione breathed softly, glancing at Parvati and Lavender who started another fresh bout of whispering. Ginny, too, looked annoyed as she turned around to glare at the Slytherin table where Pansy and her friends were laughing openly. Malfoy was looking delighted as he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle. Harry fought an urge to spin around and say something rude by biting his tongue.

At the Ravenclaw table, Luna silently held out her hand for the note and the girl gave it back to her, shaking with giggles. Ignoring her half-eaten breakfast, Luna stood, took the bear by the arm, and pulled it from the hall. It was tough to be discreet when dragging a seven foot teddy bear and Luna was followed by more laughter as she struggled with the bear's weight towards the door.

"This has got to stop," Hermione said firmly when Luna disappeared through the door with her bear. Harry turned to her gratefully but she wasn't looking at him – she was staring at the Ravenclaw table with narrowed eyes. "Look at them," she said with a small 'hmph.' "They'll never be able to concentrate on their homework in this state."

_Only Hermione_, Harry thought with a grin as he got up and followed her and Ron out the door. And as they walked together towards Potions, Luna's problems were forgotten.

O O O

But not for long. It was impossible not to be reminded of Luna and her 'secret admirer' when the entire school buzzed about it in the corridors. She couldn't walk down the hall without being bombarded by hoots and whistles from various students (mostly Slytherins). Pansy Parkinson had taken to shrieking, "Hey, look! It's lover girl! Over here, lover girl!" every time she saw her. But that particular taunt was mild compared to others. Blaise Zabini one day yelled when he saw her outside Charms, "Hey, Luna! Where's your boyfriend? He better step up, because he's got competition. I'm starting to 'ache' for you, myself!" And Luna walked right on by without looking, an expression of utter indifference on her face, although Harry knew she must be squirming inside.

He was feeling sorrier for her and angrier as the days went on. Luna continued getting almost daily letters at breakfast, but instead of opening them at the table where anyone could see, she simply stuffed them away in the pocket of her robes, her serene expression hardly flinching among renewed giggles and taunts.

The five who were with her in the Department of Mysteries the previous summer were among the few who defended her from these unfair attacks. Neville had started waiting for her outside Herbology and talked to her in a falsely cheerful voice before he had to run for his next class. Ginny had quite nearly gotten into a fist-fight with a Slytherin seventh-year girl who made a rude suggestion about Luna's sexual habits. Hermione glared at anyone who spoke ill of her in the halls, which was formidable enough, and Ron, although not as active a defender as his friends, would tell off Gryffindors who brought the letters up in the common room. And Harry... he did what he could, even though it was never enough.

"Jealous, are you?" he demanded one day, fed up with a group of Slytherin fifth years who were once again discussing the overused rumor that Luna was sending the letters to herself. "Wish you had someone that devoted to you, do you?"

The students looked taken aback at his interference, but one greasy-haired blond boy sneered. "No one would be that devoted to _her_ unless she was providing some extra favors. She must be pretty good, actually, for him to be interested this long. Maybe I should take her for a spin."

Harry suddenly realized why Ginny had single-handedly attacked a girl twice her size. He thrust his hand angrily in his robes for his wand but was stopped by a passing Professor Sinistra who gave him a suspicious look. Deciding they weren't worth it, Harry spun around and angrily stomped away, ignoring the laughter following him.

"I'm so sick of this," Ginny said at dinner that night, grinding her fork so hard against her plate that it screeched. Hermione grimaced and looked up from her corned beef.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do but wait it out," she said reasonably. "They can't keep this up forever. And Luna doesn't _seem _to mind too badly."

"Of course she doesn't. That's the way she is," Ginny said irritably and looked over at the Ravenclaw table thoughtfully. Without a word she got up and walked over to them.

"What's she doing now?" Ron demanded, looking amazed. Harry shrugged, but a minute later Ginny came back, beaming, followed by a less enthusiastic Luna Lovegood.

"Sit here," she said kindly, patting the seat next to her and Luna sat, looking wary. Ginny pushed her uneaten chocolate cake towards her, but Luna shook her head, eyes looking around the group curiously.

"So, erm, Luna," Hermione started uncertainly. "How... how's it going?"

"Oh... fine."

"It's not. You know it's not," Ginny cut in, frowning her disapproval.

Luna smiled slightly and shrugged. "Oh, that. I don't care what they say." And Harry, oddly, felt that she meant it.

"Well, _I_ do," Ginny said hotly. "Do you have _any_ idea who's behind it all?"

Luna hesitated, her gray eyes flickering around at Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione, who were watching interestedly. "No," she said finally, looking back at Ginny. "He never says. Just... hints. We've met before. And I think it must be someone in this school because he... he mentions certain things I do."

"Like what?"

"Well... he said he was sorry his last gift caused me such embarrassment, and that he was going to be more careful from now on about what he sends." She clamped her lips together, clearly indicating that she wasn't going to say more. 

"Hmm." Hermione looked thoughtful. "Someone in this school who is able to watch you. Must be a student – this kind of humor is a little below the professors, I'd imagine."

Harry saw Luna's eyes flick quickly at Hermione at the word 'humor' and then back at the wall again. He himself was beginning to wonder if that's all it was. The letters had certainly been quiet enough the last week – if someone wanted to embarrass her further, this wasn't the way to do it.

"Someone with money," Neville added unexpectedly. "Those roses weren't cheap. Gran loves them. Three sickles per rose. And a bear that big must be expensive."

Ginny snorted derisively then. "Let's think... someone with money who loves seeing people miserable. Who could _that_ be?" She looked pointedly ahead and Harry turned to follow her gaze. He saw Draco Malfoy talking animatedly with his Slytherin court, and at that instant, Draco looked over at them and smirked.

"_Malfoy_?" His voice sounded incredulous to his own ears.

"Why not?" Ginny said. "I wouldn't be surprised, would you? Remember the bear? Green eyes and ribbon. It was a hint. Luna, what do you think?"

Luna blinked and looked quite surprised at being asked her opinion. She looked over at the Slytherin table and frowned. "Draco Malfoy?" she said uncertainly. "I don't know. He doesn't have anything against me."

"She's right," Hermione said briskly. "He'd more likely do it to _me _than Luna. And quite honestly, I don't think he has the imagination for it."

"But she was there, in the Department of Mysteries," Ginny insisted. "Doesn't he have a reason to hate her as much as the rest of us? That was the night his father was captured and sent to Azkaban." They were all silent for a moment as they thought of this. Draco's laughter drifted over from the Slytherin table and Harry frowned. _Was_ it Malfoy? Could he be the one behind the letters?

"Well..." Hermione said slowly. "It's a possibility, I suppose. It's a completely immature prank for a prefect. I think it's worth looking into, and if we find out it's him..." She shivered excitedly. "We'll have him."

Ron groaned. "Just please _please_ tell me the investigation won't involve drinking more Crabbe and Goyle _du jour_." Hermione hushed him, looking wildly at Neville, Ginny and Luna who were suddenly looking curious. Harry cleared his throat loudly.

"Well... let's assume for a minute that it _is_ him. How do we find out?"

"I'll ask him," Ginny said confidently, and the others turned to her in disbelief. "Not straight out, of course. But I'll talk to him, and trust me, if he knows anything, I'll find out."

"Oh, please," Luna said mildly, "don't bother. I don't mind, really." But Ginny ignored her.

"Meet me in the library in an hour," she said animatedly. "Trust me." She pushed her plate aside and stood. With a final little wave, she turned and walked quickly out of the hall.

"Why is it that I don't?" Ron asked glumly.

Hermione frowned at him. "She's your sister!"

"Exactly." He said no more. And Harry, watching Ginny's retreating figure, couldn't help agreeing.

"You too," Hermione said, nodding at Luna. "Meet us there."

Luna sighed heavily, but she nodded. And that was that.

O O O

Ginny had no trouble finding Draco Malfoy in the halls after dinner. The problem was getting him alone, since he was almost always flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, as well as miscellaneous other Slytherin admirers. She didn't know what she could do, short of asking him for a private moment. And the thought of the look on his face and the laughter of his cronies was almost enough to deter her. Almost.

The truth was that Ginny _liked _Luna, despite her oddities. The girl had sometimes surprising observations that made her laugh, and she had proved her loyalty to her friends on more than one occasion. Luna had saved her life in the Department of Mysteries last June, and that wasn't anything Ginny was likely to forget. So if she could do something to help Luna now, she was going to do it, no matter the personal sacrifice.

Wishing she had Harry's Invisibility Cloak, Ginny took a deep breath and started forward. She fell into step behind the Slytherins and reached out for a handful of Draco's black robes. She tugged.

"What the..." he started indignantly and flung around. "_You_, Weasley?"

"I need a word," Ginny said, fixing her face into a look of irritation.

He snorted and looked her up and down. "Well?" he demanded.

"Not in front of _them_." She indicated Crabbe and Goyle who were hovering over his shoulders, grinning at her eagerly.

Draco sneered as he looked at her and then shrugged. "Go on, then," he said to Crabbe and Goyle who looked disappointed and slouched away. When they had gone, Draco turned back to her, and said: "Again, I ask – _well_? What is it?"

Ginny considered her words carefully as she looked up at him. Her scrutiny seemed to make him uncomfortable for he shuffled a little before finally leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest. "Cat got your tongue, Weasley?" he asked impatiently.

"I know what you're doing," she said.

He blinked, startled. It took him a minute to recover. "Is that so? And what am I doing, little red?"

"I think you know very well, Malfoy," she said, just as sarcastically. "The question is, how long will it be before the rest of the school finds out?"

Again, he looked surprised. But it wasn't long before he narrowed his eyes coldly and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do," Ginny said sweetly and smiled. She was enjoying this much more than she should. "In time the evidence, and all the little attentions and special messages will lead back to you. What will people say about you then?"

She paused and Draco's eyes flashed anger. She knew it would have been smart to stop talking and back away, but she was feeling oddly high and felt laughter bubble up inside her chest. "It's overplayed, Malfoy. You might as well give up. Unless you really _are_ in love."

Draco looked at her for a long moment and then took a menacing step forward. Ginny was so surprised that she instinctively moved backwards until her back pressed against the cool stone wall. Draco darted forward and placed his palms on either side of her, trapping her.

"Hey!" Ginny squeaked indignantly, looking wildly around. The corridor was empty. She was alone.

"Now," Draco said, snarling, his face only inches from hers. "You're going to tell me what the bloody hell you're babbling about before I get _seriously_ annoyed." Ginny looked at him helplessly, her heart beating uncomfortably. Either he was the best actor Hogwarts had ever seen... or he genuinely didn't know what she meant.

"Well?" he demanded again.

She sighed.

O O O

"No."

"No?" Hermione looked disappointed.

"It's not him," Ginny admitted unhappily. The six of them were gathered in the library half an hour later, and the answer wasn't what they'd hoped.

"What did you find out?" Harry asked and Ginny smiled sardonically.

"Nothing, except that Malfoy is an even bigger jerk than I thought."

"What?" Ron said sharply. "What did he do?"

"Nothing, Ron. Leave it alone."

"I swear, if he so much as _looked_ at you the wrong way..."

"You'd what?" Ginny snapped and then shook her head. "Oh, forget it. I'm sorry. Look, the point is that we're back to square one."

"So now what do we do?" Neville asked in a muted voice. Luna had been staring across the library at a group of studying Hufflepuffs, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger, but at that she started and blinked.

"Nothing," she said earnestly. "Really, I appreciate your help, but I can handle this myself."

"Well, then," Harry said politely. "What _are_ you going to do about it?"

"Ask," she said simply. And refused to say more.

O O O

The next morning, another letter came with the morning mail. Instead of opening it, she reached a tentative hand to the owl who delivered it and stroked its feathers. The owl hooted and spread its wings appreciatively. Luna smiled and retrieved a letter from the pocket of her robes and gave it to the owl, whispering a few words in request to bring it to the person who had sent her the letter. The owl butted its head against her hand in acknowledgement and took off, the new letter clamped in its beak.

What she had written was simple enough: 'Who are you? Are you Draco Malfoy or one of the other Slytherins?' And then she signed her name on the bottom.

When the little owl returned the next day with a response, Luna gave it a piece of her bacon and a pat on the head in thanks before getting up and going over the Gryffindor table. Whatever the response, she appreciated their concern for her and thought they deserved to know.

"Hi," she said briefly, squeezing in between Neville and Harry. "I asked," she said, and that explained it all.

Luna opened the letter and spread it on the table. Six bodies leaned forward to look and promptly six pairs of eyebrows jutted upwards in surprise.

Angel,

I am _not_ a Slytherin. (The 'not' was underlined heavily several times). How could you think that? Haven't I given you enough to show you who I am? I would have thought it obvious, but apparently I haven't been clear enough. My love for you is not schoolboy attraction. It runs deeper than the oceans, deeper than the bowels of the earth itself. It is only fair that you should know me, and I will show you in time, rest assured. I watched you brush your hair last night, gazing into the mirror, and you looked so lost, so helpless. Together we will find a purpose. I promise you.

Eternally Yours

"Bowels?" Ron snickered. "Not exactly my idea of romantic poetry." He was the only one to find the letter amusing. Neville frowned at the script, itching his nose, and Harry and Hermione exchanged a worried look.

"He _watched_ her brush her hair?" he said in a hushed voice, and she nodded, her eyes wide.

"But... how is it possible?" she asked in a small voice. He knew what she meant. Boys weren't allowed in the girls' dormitory. He and Ron had found that out a few years ago when they tried to visit Hermione. Which left them with an entirely new question.

"Look..." Ginny picked up the envelope and shook it upside-down. Several long strands of wavy blonde hair fell out and curled gracefully on the table. Luna stared at the strands, her face neutral, and then reached a hand up to touch her own matching hair. Her forehead creased slightly. No one spoke.

The situation had suddenly become a great deal more serious.


	3. Chapter Three: Underworld

The poem fragment in this chapter is from "Canto I" by Ezra Pound. Copyright © 1956, 1957 – Ezra Pound. No, it is not mine, as I am a hideous poet. Truly, you don't want to know. And also, please don't sue me. I use it in the greatest friendliness with no intention of harm. 

Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I had most of it written a few days ago, but didn't get a chance to finish and edit until today. Hopefully the wait will be worth it. I love your comments – please keep them up! They keep me going.

Until next time. :) PoW

**Chapter Three – Underworld**

As predicted, within a couple weeks Luna's letters were of little interest to anyone outside her group. She was still receiving daily mail, but with the absence of lavish gifts, students were finding other things to joke about. Aside from the usual laughter about Luna's odd choices in accessories (one day she wore golf balls as earrings), she was mostly left alone.

Harry asked her about those particular earrings when he passed her in the hall and she smiled. "We've never had a lot of money since mother died," she said simply. "I've gotten used to making my own jewelry, and even though we're doing better now since your story appeared, I like making them." And Harry, remembering the humiliation he suffered in elementary school from wearing Dudley's old clothes that were at least five sizes too big, couldn't blame her for wanting something other than she had.

Harry and the others tried to get her to eat dinner with them, but she flatly refused – saying that she was, after all, a Ravenclaw and couldn't abandon her House. She was mostly evasive about the contents of the letters, but Hermione made her promise to tell them if there was anything strange in them, or clues that could help them figure out who the admirer was. Mostly they were full of mushy love talk, and Luna, quite fairly, didn't want to share these with her friends. But once in a while a letter would come that seemed important.

The first of these came about a week after the school lost interest. Luna found Ginny outside Professor Flitwick's classroom and requested a meeting in the library after dinner. Hermione in particular was excited when Ginny passed the message on. "Oooh. She must have found something. Maybe she knows who it is!"

It took Luna about fifteen minutes after they had arrived to join them in the library, and when she did her face was carefully neutral as she sat down. "I have a letter," she said unnecessarily, pulling it from her pocket and carefully smoothing it on the table beside a small box tied neatly with a ribbon. "He sent it to me with these chocolates. Most of the letters have been pretty straight-forward" – she blushed a little as she said this – "but I don't know what to think about this one. I don't understand what he's trying to tell me."

On the parchment were a few lines, a fragment from a poem, and then the usual signature of 'Eternally Yours.' The words were indeed strange – and seemingly irrelevant to the mystery.

'Pallor upon me, cried to my men for more beasts;  
Slaughtered the herds, sheep slain of bronze;  
Poured ointment, cried to the gods,  
To Pluto the strong, and praised Proserpine;  
Unsheathed the narrow sword,  
I sat to keep off the impetuous impotent dead...'

Hermione read it aloud and when she finished, Luna looked carefully at each of them. The most curious look was on her face, as if she was hiding a smile. "Well?" she asked.

"Well indeed," Ron said and cleared his throat when they looked at one another, dumbfounded. "My guess is that it's some obscure sexual metaphor. The, er, slaughtering of beasts standing for passion, and the narrow sword is..."

"Yes, Ron, we get it," Hermione said quickly. Ginny stared at the parchment and tapped her quill against her teeth, deep in thought. Neville squirmed in his seat and squinted as he reviewed the words.

'But impotent..." Ron added, confused. "That's not the kind of thing a man mentions to a girl he's trying to impress. Unless he really _really_ wants her to know him before they meet. Package deal, and all that. No refund." Luna blushed furiously at the turn in the conversation, and Hermione shook her head, looking irritated.

"That's silly. Of course not. We're looking at it the wrong way. No, there's something else in this poem he wants her to see." She frowned, thinking.

Harry leaned forward and scanned the poem. He preferred Hermione's interpretation to Ron's, if only because the thought of some nut sending oblique sexual messages to Luna was disturbing. But why it disturbed him so much, he couldn't say...

"What about Pluto?" he suggested, seeing nothing else of interest in the poem. Besides a Proserpine, whatever that was.

"Pluto?" Hermione chewed her lower lip. "Hmm. Maybe."

"He imagined he had some romantic moment with her connected to Pluto," Ron said with a grin. "I don't know, he first spotted her when it was high in the sky or something."

"No..." Hermione said slowly, reaching for the letter. She held it before her eyes and read it a few more times before her eyes started to glow with the fervor homework usually gave her. Finally, she lifted her head and beamed at them. "Not the planet. It's an allusion. Wait here!" She got up excitedly and disappeared behind one of the shelves stacked with books.

"Muggle Studies?" Ron frowned at the section she had gone into. "What on earth is she looking for _there_?"

Hermione was gone for several minutes, and when she came back bearing a particularly large and dusty old book, she was beaming. "Here," she said triumphantly, slamming it on the table, sending a cloud of dust in the air which caused them all to cough uproariously.

"Muggle Myths and Legends?" Ginny gasped as she read the title, hand frantically waving bits of dust from her face.

"Of course. The legend of Hades and Persephone. How could I forget?"

"Of course," Ron echoed. "Hades and Persepee. Well, _that_ clears everything up."

Hermione looked at him in a patronizing way as she flipped through the pages. "Just wait, will you?"

"Myths and legends?" Harry asked as he wiped the dust from his glasses on his pants. "How will that help?"

"Well... they're often based on fact, aren't they?"

"Er... if you say so."

"Really, they are. Just look at Merlin. To Muggles, he's a legendary figure. To us, he's historical fact. Now quiet, while I remember..." She scanned the page she opened to with narrowed eyes and nodded to herself. "Right, here it is. Hades and Persephone were members of the Greek pantheon. Gods. Their Roman names were Pluto and Proserpine. _That's_ who the poem refers to."

Harry frowned. "But what does that have to do with..."

"Luna? Well... I'm not entirely sure. Hang on, let me read... yes. Hades was the brother of Zeus, king of the gods. He ruled the underworld, the world of the dead, and therefore was the god of death. He was a kind of You-Know-Who of Greek Mythology, because mortals and gods alike were terrified to speak his name in fear of attracting his attention. Having the god of death's eyes on you is never a good thing."

Luna hugged herself as if she had a chill and fidgeted slightly, her eyes on the book. She looked very serious. "And Per... Persop..."

"Persephone," Hermione corrected. "Daughter of Demeter, goddess of growing things. She was... oh, typical beautiful maiden of fairy tales. Worshipped as the goddess of spring. And, well..." She hesitated, eyes scanning the words before her. "Hades loved her."

Ginny chewed her lower lip and watched Luna worriedly – Luna who was so busy staring at the book she didn't notice. Ron eyed the box of chocolates, his fingers inching towards it. And Harry watched Hermione in anticipation. "What happened?" he asked, impatient with her silence.

Hermione read in silence for another few seconds and when she looked up, her face was grim. "They were complete opposites. Hades lived in the dark gloom of the underworld, and Persephone in the sunshine. She would never consent to come to him, so Hades took matters into his own hands. One day she was in a field picking wildflowers and he opened up the ground beneath her and... took her. Just like that. He made her his queen."

"And they lived happily ever after. Or should I say miserably," Ron finished mockingly, his nose wrinkled. He clearly did not like the tale.

"Not quite. Persephone's mother, I mentioned, was goddess of all growing things. She was heart-broken at her daughter's disappearance and wandered the earth, calling for her. And while she was gone, nothing would grow. Zeus finally ordered his brother to let Persephone go free, on the condition that she didn't take anything from the underworld back with her. Hades was angry... understandably. So before she left, he tricked her into eating a pomegranate which bound her to him. Persephone was forced to spend half of the year with him and the other half with her mother. It's a tale to tell the origin of seasons, because it was spring when Persephone lived above ground with her mother and winter when she was with Hades. So she's both goddess of the spring and the dead."

She stopped and looked around the table, her jaw set. Luna was gazing passively out the window, apparently not paying attention, but her eyes were troubled. When no one spoke, Ginny leaned forward and her eyes flashed.

"That's all Muggle nonsense," she said angrily. "What could it possibly _mean_?"

"Nothing maybe," said Harry quietly. "Except that Luna's Persephone. And he wants to be Hades."

"And may take equally drastic measures to have her," Hermione added, looking upset. Luna finally looked away from the window and glanced at Hermione, her eyes sad. She looked unconvinced.

"It's just a poem," she said lightly. "I don't believe he would do anything to harm me."

"But..." Hermione started, and was cut off with Luna's firm, "You're wrong."

"He put it there for a reason," Harry argued. "Luna, you have to promise us you'll be careful."

"Yeah. If the ground cracks in front of you, do us a favor and start running." Ron picked up the box of chocolates and started undoing the ribbon. "Mind if I have one?"

Luna shook her head, her eyes faraway. Ron opened the box and dangled his fingers above the assortment of chocolates, deciding.

"_Ron_," Hermione hissed, looking horrified.

"What? She said she doesn't care." He picked a chocolate that was lumpy with nuts and raised it happily to his mouth.

"Fine," Hermione said quickly. "If you want to be some guy's love slave for all eternity, that's your choice."

Ron paused with the chocolate before his mouth. He looked appalled. "What?"

"The pomegranate in the story. _Think_, Ron."

Harry blinked. "She's right, mate. Best not take any chances. Here." He held out his hand and Ron reluctantly gave the chocolate back. Harry put it in the box with the others and closed the lid. "If you get any more of these, throw them away," he suggested and Luna shrugged.

"I don't care much for sweets anyway," she said mildly.

"Good, because it sounds like this guy'll do whatever he can. Even bewitch what he gives you. I'm glad you got rid of those flowers. You didn't keep the bear, did you?"

Luna didn't answer and checked her watch. "It's getting late," she said. "I have Herbology homework to finish."

"I'll help," Neville suggested brightly, but Luna smiled and shook her head.

"No, it's okay. Really. Thank you for your help. All of it." She folded the letter and put it back in her pocket and stood.

"Luna." Ginny also rose to her feet. "Harry's right. You have to be careful. Please, _please_ promise us you won't go anywhere alone, at least until we know what all this is about."

"If the allusion means anything, then he could be dangerous," Hermione piped in earnestly. "No matter what he writes, no matter how he sounds, don't do anything crazy. Like agree to meet him."

Luna sighed and put her hands in the pockets of her school jacket. She looked oddly small and helpless in the Hogwarts uniform. "Don't worry. What do I care about a bunch of silly letters?" But as she walked away, Harry thought she wasn't being entirely truthful. And from the looks his friends were shooting one another, he knew they didn't either.

O O O

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Harry was awakened in the night by a strange sound. At first he thought it was Ron banging on his bed to wake him up, but a quick glance over at his friend told him that he was sound asleep.

Harry fumbled for his glasses on the night stand and sat up. The sky outside was dark, with not even a hint of dawn, telling him that it was still very early. The tapping continued and Harry strained his sleepy eyes in the darkness, looking for the sound.

Tap. Tap. Something hitting against glass. The window.

Harry stood and floated to the window, feeling he was in a dream. A dark shape was hovering outside. Although he wondered later why he would ever open windows to dark shapes in the middle of the night, at the time it seemed quite natural. And it turned out to be harmless, anyway. Mostly.

Harry jerked the window open and it made a loud screech as it slid up, but no one stirred in the four other beds. In fluttered a creature. An owl. In confusion, Harry stroked its feathers and took the letter the owl held out to him. The moment the letter left its beak, the owl turned and took off into the night.

_Who in the world is writing me at this hour_? Harry thought in confusion, shutting the window after the bird to stop the night chill from creeping in. He went to sit on his bed and took a candle from his nightstand. With a flick of his wand, it lit. He then unrolled the parchment and read.

The message was short, very short. 'LEAVE IT' was written in giant block letters. There was no signature, but Harry recognized the handwriting

Somehow Luna's admirer had found out about Harry's involvement. And he wasn't pleased.


	4. Chapter Four: Irate Meat Ahead

Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to get this one up. I've been working full-time now, and it's kinda hard to get motivated to write when I already spend eight hours a day staring at a computer screen. But I'm getting used to the hours, so I'll try really really hard to get the next one done a lot sooner. Promise. :)

Due to demand, I wrote this one pretty quickly, so I hope it doesn't suck! And for all who have been wondering – you'll find out who the admirer is in CH7, but you'll have enough clues by then to guess who it is. At least I _think_ so...

Oh, and Phillis Nymph, I really do love Ron, so I made him all concerned and everything this chapter. ;) And the Ginny/Draco thing was sort of foreshadowing for another story I'm thinking about. Couldn't help myself! But I'm going to finish writing this one first.

Hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter Four – Irate Meat Ahead**

"Has Luna been acting strange lately?" Ron asked one evening, frowning over his steak and mashed potatoes.

"Luna? Strange?" Hermione's eyebrows were raised almost to her hairline. "Imagine that."

"No, really," Ron insisted, no trace of a smile on his freckled face. "It's been a week and she keeps getting those letters, but she hasn't come to us, not once. Much as I am ashamed to admit it, I was looking forward to that bloke's pearls of poetry." At Hermione's incredulous look, Ron turned to Harry with a sort of plea in his eyes. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed, mate. Something's going on with her."

Harry pushed his peas around his plate, eyes fixed on the antique silver fork he held. For some reason, he didn't want Ron to know, but he _had_ noticed a change in Luna's behavior over the past week. Ever since that last letter she showed them in the library, she had been purposely avoiding them, looking away when he tried to catch her eyes in the corridors, and skipping so many meals it was a wonder she had the strength to walk around, let alone attend Potions. It bothered him that she was keeping things from him, especially since, whether she liked it or not, her admirer had chosen to involve him.

"Barely eating," Ron said, echoing his thoughts, "Walking around the halls, oblivious. More than usual, that is. Sighing to herself. Carrying those stupid things in her pockets and sneaking peeks at them when she thinks no one's looking. She's acting like she's..."

"In love," Hermione supplied calmly. "Really, is that so surprising?"

"Oh, yeah," Ron said, comprehension dawning clearly on his face. "I was going to say bewitched, but it's sort of the same thing, isn't it?" He glanced at Hermione, who suddenly busied herself in her goblet. "Well, that's it, then. That's... oh no. That's bad. _Bad_. Doesn't she realize that any guy who sneaks around sending cryptic messages on parchment without confronting her _has_ to be a nutter?"

"I hardly think that's concerns her," Ginny said flatly, poking at her plate with as much enthusiasm as Harry. "How many years has she spent in this school without anyone really seeing her or caring? No wonder she's so entranced by those letters. They're a sign that she's not alone. I know how she feels." She looked at Harry, who wisely pretended not to notice.

"So we talk to her," Ron said eagerly. "Make her see the danger."

"She wouldn't listen to us before, what guarantee is there that she'd listen now?" Ginny asked.

"Harry will talk to her. In the morning," Hermione said.

"I... what?" Harry was fairly surprised at being volunteered. "Why me?"

"Because, I have a feeling that she... well, maybe respects your opinions more than ours." Harry had a sudden fleeting memory of Luna's face as she talked about her dead mother the year before, and remembered how at that moment he had felt closer to her than anyone, because of all his friends she was the one who really understood what he was going through.

"Give it a try, Harry," Hermione said earnestly. "If she doesn't listen, well, we tried. But I think that of all of us, you're the only one she'll listen to."

And after a plea like that, he was stuck.

O O O

Luna had been coming to the Great Hall for breakfast every morning only long enough to grab a banana or orange from the enormous pile of fruit on her table and wait for the Daily Mail, which always came promptly on time. Then she would contently sneak away with her letter and fruit before anyone noticed she had been there. But the next morning, Harry was ready for her.

He waited outside the doors leading into the Entrance Hall, and when Luna slipped through a few minutes later, her nose buried in the latest letter, he reached out a hand and tapped on her shoulder. Luna gasped in surprise and dropped the letter, which Harry deftly bent and picked up. He held it out to her, his face passive, and said: "I'm supposed to invite you to have breakfast with us."

Luna snatched the letter from his hand and held it protectively to her chest, her eyes darkening slightly as she looked him over. "I'm not hungry," she announced.

"From what I've heard, you haven't been hungry for a week. And you look like you could use a good meal." He looked pointedly at her uniform, which was baggy in places it hadn't been before, and at her cheeks, as pale as the heavenly deity she was named for. Her eyes flashed angrily, interpreting his words as an insult, and her body language was hostile.

If he hadn't known better, he would have thought her a stranger. Luna had always been dreamy and distant, content in herself and her surroundings. But this Luna was unlike anyone he'd ever seen. Her gray eyes were sharp and intent, and the hands that held the letter to her heart were trembling like an addict desperate for another fix.

"You've changed," Harry said suddenly, not liking the plaintive note in his voice. "You're looking at me like I'm the enemy now. I'm not trying to hurt you, I swear. I just want to help."

For a long moment, Luna glared at him, frozen, but then she glanced away and sighed. "I know," she said. "I don't want to involve you. This is my problem."

"My problem, too. Or didn't he tell you he sent me a letter warning me to stay away from you? Yeah, that's right. It's all great and fine for you to have some secret lover as a pen pal, but when he starts warning your friends away for no good reason, it gets personal."

"He said you wouldn't understand," she said faintly.

"Did he, now? I suppose you two just chat it up over your letters. What else does he tell you?" She looked away, lips tightly pursed. Her long, scraggly blond hair half-concealed her face and Harry fought an absurd urge to reach out and brush it from her eyes.

He sighed. "Look," he said, more harshly than intended. "I know you must think I'm a big jerk right now, but I'm worried about you. We all are," he added quickly, "and the offer still stands, that if anything weird happens, anything he says or does that doesn't sit well with you, don't hesitate to come to me – us – and we'll help you through it."

Luna chewed her lower lip intently and stared at the floor. "It's not what you think, truly," she said gently. "He doesn't threaten me or demand anything. It's all very nice. But... once in a while there is something I don't understand." She looked at him and hesitated, then slowly let out her breath and reached in her pocket to retrieve a piece of parchment. Harry took it silently when she handed it to him. The note was folded and crinkled at the edges as if it had been read many times. He gritted his teeth as he recognized the writing, and read:

Irate meat ahead   
Err, old lovers vomited   
Odiously meaty wool   
You olive

Eternally Yours

Harry stared at the words for half a minute in disbelief. "That's..." he finally managed to choke. "Oh."

Luna sighed. "Exactly," she said. "I am open to any suggestions you have. I'm sorry I was rude to you." Harry blinked at this seemingly incongruous statement, but his attention was quickly drawn away when Luna walked beside him and frowned over his shoulder. "The only guess I have is that he wants to take me out for a meal. He mentions meat twice."

"And vomit," Harry added. "Maybe he wants to take you drinking."

Luna smiled and the effect quite lit up her face. Harry found himself distracted from the letter altogether for a few seconds before clearing his throat loudly and looking away. "Can I have this?" he asked warily, expecting another flare-up, but she just shrugged.

"Go ahead." He had the strong impression that she didn't want it, since it didn't fit into the rosy picture she had constructed of her admirer. Harry folded the letter quickly and put it in his own pocket in case she changed her mind, but she was already looking at the new letter, frowning slightly.

"But he hasn't..." Harry started awkwardly.

"What?"

"Asked you to meet him."

"No." Luna looked away and rummaged in her book bag for a second, face turned away. "No, he hasn't. Satisfied?"

"Extremely," Harry said. "So, will you eat with us?"

"No," she said bluntly. "I... want to be alone right now. I hope you understand."

"Sure. Sure, I understand." But he didn't, not really. "And you'll tell me if anything else happens?"

"Oh, yes. I will."

_Liar_, Harry thought. But there was nothing he could say to convince her.

"Right," he said. "Have a good day, then."

"Mmm. You, too." He knew she was barely paying attention as she stuck the new letter inside her jacket and walked away. Harry was about to go when he heard a crash and turned to see Luna sprawled on the stairs and Peeves zooming away, cackling evilly. He had thrown a hat stand at her. Harry started towards her, but she had already recovered and was hurrying up the stairs, clearly not eager to be delayed by him again.

Harry watched her go, feeling depressed, until his attention was caught by something white on the stairs where she had fallen. He opened his mouth to call to her and let her know she'd dropped something, but then stopped. He waited until she disappeared around the bend onto the second floor before walking forward to retrieve the object. It was a white piece of parchment, shiny and new. Luna's letter from that morning. Feeling like he was doing something extremely wrong, but also not caring very much, Harry put it in his pocket beside the strange poem and headed into the Great Hall to find his friends.

They were just as stumped as he was about the letter. Ron again suggested it was a sexual metaphor, which prompted Hermione to exasperatedly demand if that was all he thought about. But Ginny put an end to their "discussion" when she suggested it was a code of some sort, and Hermione took it with her to think about. Harry didn't tell them about the other letter. Later, in between Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures, he slipped into a bathroom that was rarely used and opened it.

It was short, shorter than usual. One word, actually, but that one word made Harry suck in his breath. 'Tonight' it said.

_Well, well_, Harry thought. He and Luna would be having a little chat. Again.

O O O

"Tonight what?"

Luna looked at him, her face blank. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. What have you and lover-boy got going on? A little secret rendezvous at midnight?"

Harry knew she had Charms last period of the day, so he had waited for her outside the classroom. She had been the last one to leave, because Professor Flitwick had called her to his desk and was speaking to her earnestly in a hushed voice. From Luna's overly stiff posture and forced smile, he knew she was being questioned by her Head of House about her behavior, and try as he might, she wasn't giving anything away. Finally, he dismissed her, looking unsatisfied, and Harry stepped away from the doorway, trying to catch his breath as he waited for her to come through.

Now she was looking at him as if he had mustard dripping from his nose. "I don't..." she started but then broke off abruptly when he retrieved the letter from behind his back and showed it to her.

The effect wasn't quite what he expected. He thought she'd be embarrassed and pretend not to know what he was talking about, but he was given a first-hand experience of 'if looks could kill.' "You read my letter?" she demanded angrily. Her entire face was transformed. Her eyes flashed and the way she was looking at him would have made him shrivel up and crawl away if he wasn't so angry himself.

"So are you going to tell me? Tonight what?"

"I don't see what business it is of yours what I do with my time," she said icily and made a movement to go, but Harry wasn't finished and stepped in front of her.

"Oh, absolutely none, of course. Because I love being lied to, you know. Gives me a rush. Makes me feel special."

"That's exactly it," Luna said and stepped away from him, her face flushed. "For some reason you and your friends can't handle the fact that for once in my life someone thinks _I'm_ special and loves me for who I am. I know that maybe you're used to being prince of the world, but I'm not and I think I'm allowed a little attention now and then. And anyway, I ask again, what business of yours is it what I do in my personal life?"

"What _do_ you do, Luna? How many times have you met him? Because if I'd known you two were already seeing each other, you could have saved me a lot of trouble."

"Nothing." Luna blushed harder and the fingers clutching her books were white. "This is... I'm supposed to meet him for the first time tonight. And if I'd known how interested you were in destroying my social life, I would have shredded the letter the instant I read it."

This time it was Harry's turn to blush and he felt his anger seeping away when she glared at him, threatened and rightfully so. "It's not like that," he said quietly. "I'm not trying to, er, destroy you. It's just that you did a favor for me once and I don't want to see you hurt if I can stop it. And I, um, Ginny cares about you, and she's my best friend's sister, so... well..."

Luna looked at him. The color in her cheeks didn't fade. "That's very considerate of you," she said, not sounding like she meant it at all, "but I can perfectly take care of myself." She turned to walk away, but Harry put an impulsive hand on her shoulder.

"Luna..."

"Don't try to stop me, Harry, please," Luna pleaded, not looking at him. "If I ever need your help I will ask for it, but I can't do this, not now." And Harry let her go, watching her hurry away from him, blonde head bent over her books. Across the hall, Harry heard Draco's laughter as he made a loud comment to his fellow Slytherin friends about how Loony Lovegood and Potty made a perfect pair. But he didn't care, not this time. His mind was focused on one thought alone.

That if she was going to try to sneak out that night, he would be ready for her.


	5. Chapter Five: Midnight Promenade

**Chapter Five – Midnight Promenade**

Harry lay in bed, staring at the soft waves of cloth that draped around him, and listened to Neville's muted snores across the room. His heart pounded as he thought about what he was going to do. Anxiously, he checked his watch. The fluorescent numbers glowed in the dark: 10:47. He knew that if Luna was going anywhere, she would wait until after eleven – at least, that was the time _he_ always ran about the castle at night. Early enough to have time to do what he needed, and late enough that the students would be in bed and very few teachers were prowling the darkness.

Cautiously, Harry sat up and gently pushed the canopy aside. All in the dorm was still and the sounds of even breathing told him that his four roommates were asleep. He bent down and reached under his bed for the Invisibility Cloak that he had so carefully stowed away earlier. Before he put it on, he hesitated and glanced at Ron in the next bed. He felt slightly guilty about not telling him of his plans, but if he did, Ron would insist on coming and Harry wanted to be alone. So it was for the best, he told himself as he slipped the cloak over his head and watched his body disappear. Ron would understand.

Harry quietly walked out of the dorm and down to the common room. It was deserted except for a little second year who had fallen asleep in the armchair before the fireplace with his open Charms book in his lap. Firelight danced on his face, but the boy himself didn't move. Feeling more relaxed now that he knew he was unobserved, Harry crept over to the portrait hole and carefully pushed.

He took several wrong turns on the way to the Ravenclaw common room, but once he was there, he settled himself against the hard stone wall opposite the entrance and waited. The painting that barred the way to the common room was of a golden-haired horned satyr, beautiful and completely inhuman, snoozing against an olive tree with his lute lying next to his open hand on the ground. Several times he snorted and rolled over to make himself more comfortable.

As the minutes ticked by, Harry grew uneasy. Had he been wrong? What if Luna had left earlier? What if something happened and he was unable to help her? What if… what if…

_What if they're over in Hogsmeade having a nice conversation over a butterbeer_, his mind suggested nastily and he shook his head. _You'd deserve that, wouldn't you_?

But no, he knew something was wrong and that the person who was sending Luna the letters was little better than a maniac. Didn't the last poem prove that? And if there was the slightest chance that by being here he could make her see reason and save her from danger, then he was staying.

So he waited. The stone wall was cool against his back and several times he felt himself nodding off and had to pinch himself to stay awake. His watch ticked on. 11:07. 11:26. 11:39. 11:42. Just when he was considering calling it a night, he heard the soft creak of the portrait as it slid open and jumped so suddenly that he banged his head against the wall behind him.

A muffled oath formed on his lips, but the girl who slipped out into the hallway didn't notice. Shadows flickered across Luna's face in the light of the candelabra on the wall. She peered nervously from side to side before turning around and gently closing the portrait. The sleeping satyr didn't stir.

Harry stood and removed his cloak as she was turning around. Her eyes widened when she saw him and a little shriek escaped her throat before she clasped a hand over her mouth and backed against the portrait. Her gray eyes peered over her hands in surprise. The satyr grumbled in his portrait and put his hands over his ears.

"Good evening," Harry said casually, trying to make it sound as if they had just happened to bump into each other, even though that was obviously not the case. Considering the way their conversation had ended that afternoon, he braced himself for her angry words, but Luna was too stunned to do anything.

"Harry… what are you _doing_?" she asked once she had recovered. She was beyond hostility – just shocked.

"Oh, thought I'd take a stroll. Bit stifling in Gryffindor Tower. Couldn't sleep. And Neville was snoring again so I thought I'd…" He was babbling. Luna waved an impatient hand to cut him off.

"Oh, stop it. You were following me again." She paused and stared at him. "I don't know whether to be furious or flattered."

"Then be neither. Look, I'm just checking on you, alright? Don't you find it a bit odd that this guy wants to meet you at midnight instead of in proper daylight? What does he have to hide?"

"It's just easier that way," she protested, face set. He was going to have a hard time convincing her. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to…"

"Are you wearing _perfume_?" Harry asked in astonishment, sniffing the air. He'd gotten a distinct whiff of flowers when she tried to move past him.

"No." Luna took a hurried step back. "I mean, yes. I borrowed some from Padma. So what?" Harry frowned and looked her over. He'd never paid much attention to what she wore – what _any_ girl wore – but he never would have taken Luna for someone who was overly meticulous about her appearance. She was wearing a knee-length black skirt and ankle boots with a fluffy pink sweater of a clingy fabric that completely emphasized her figure. He had never noticed before that she _had_ a figure, but now Harry was having a hard time not blushing.

Luna saw him looking and lowered her eyes to the ground. "These too. Can I go, now?"

Harry blinked to clear his mind and frowned. What could he possibly say that would make her stay? Nothing… and that was the problem.

"You can go…" he said quietly, and when Luna met his eyes with surprise, he added, "but I'm coming, too."

For a minute he thought she was going to yell. Her face darkened with color and her eyes narrowed almost to slits. But just when he thought she was going to explode, her face abruptly cleared and she nodded. "Fine."

"Fine?" Harry wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly. Surely she would make a bigger fuss than this. Surely she would hate him for his interference.

"Fine," she repeated, eyes steadily locked on his. "We need to put an end to this nonsense. You're coming with me and when I meet him you'll see once and for all that there's nothing to worry about. But when you see him, I want you to promise me that you'll leave me alone from now on and never, _never_ concern yourself with him again."

Harry wanted to ask what 'leaving her alone' entailed, but bit his tongue and nodded. She was being more reasonable than he could have hoped, and he figured anyway that when she saw whatever toad was waiting for her, she'd forgive him. Luna looked him over suspiciously but then shrugged and started forward. She paused at his side and gestured at the Invisibility Cloak.

"You'll be wearing that, of course."

"Of course."

"Good." Harry slipped the cloak around his shoulders and they walked together in silence. His mind whirred with all the things he wanted to say to her, but he couldn't get his brain to put together a coherent sentence, so he stayed silent. Luna, striding ahead of him, clearly had no intention of speaking, so he resigned himself to following her, pretending he wasn't there. He had gotten so much practice at the Dursleys that he was an expert by now. And she certainly didn't discourage him.

They were about to turn a corner when Luna heard the noise. She spun around and faced Harry, her eyes wide. "Quick!" she whispered urgently and darted behind the statue of Wilbert the Wistful. Harry stepped beside her and lifted the Cloak so she could duck underneath. He remembered the days when he, Ron and Hermione could sneak around the castle comfortably underneath it, but he had grown so much in the last two years that he had to crouch slightly so they could both fit.

Filch rounded the corner, his black eyes wild and darting around the corridor as he mumbled to himself. "Little brats… track mud on _my_ carpet, well I'll get them, I'll get them, and when I do, they'll crawl on all fours and address me as 'sir' until I earn a little respect around here…" He walked passed them, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, even though one of Harry's sneakers was peeking out from underneath the cloak.

Luna was very still as she pressed against him, her eyes intent on watching Filch trudge down the hall. She was calm despite the near disaster, and her face only revealed impatience at the delay. But Harry could hardly think at all, let alone breathe with the very nearness of her. Her long curtain of hair gently brushed his chest and she placed one hand softly on his upper arm as she peered around him to watch Filch's retreating figure. All Harry could think about was how much he wanted to put his arms around her and pull her close, away from Filch, away from her lover… away from everyone.

He was horrified when his face started to burn as he thought about this. Was that it, then? Was he _jealous_? Maybe Luna had been right, and the only reason he was worrying so much about the letters was because he felt threatened personally by them. But what a time to realize how he felt about her! Especially when she was watching Filch, her face passive, with no idea… no clue.

"He's gone," she whispered and smiled, no doubt eager to get to her meeting. Harry bit back a protest and nodded, moving the cloak aside so she could step out. She didn't look back to see if he was following as she hurried ahead, her steps light and rapid. His body felt empty suddenly with the absence of her warmth and he sighed before following. He had to keep his mind on task, and, personal feelings aside, he had good reason to think that the person behind the letters posed real danger.

Luna walked around another corner and down the stairs without modifying her pace. She paused only slightly in the Entrance Hall to glance around and make sure no one was around before moving towards the giant double doors and placing her hands on the handle.

"Now remember," she hissed so softly that Harry barely heard. "You stay under your cloak, okay? As soon as you see that _nothing_ is wrong, I want you to leave us alone." Without waiting for an answer, Luna pushed open the doors and went through.

Harry walked across the grounds after her, not daring to make a sound. Even as he walked, he felt a little silly. What was he _doing_ in the middle of the night, following a girl who wanted nothing to do with him? It was only a simple meeting, after all. Maybe everything would be alright.

Luna headed straight across the grounds without slowing, and soon the flickering lights from Hogwarts Castle were faint in the background. She was nearing the Forbidden Forest and Harry opened his mouth to call to her that nothing was worth going in there at midnight when she stopped at the edge. And waited.

Harry had planned on staying quite a ways back but found himself moving closer as the seconds went by. Luna was looking around anxiously and played with her hands, her eyes wide and somewhat doubtful. The chill of night was beginning to creep under his skin and he watched Luna wrap her arms around herself and shiver. All was silent, and not even an owl could be heard hooting mournfully from the forest. For all it seemed, they were the only two in the world.

The stars shone down in their brilliance from the blackness of space, casting a silver glow on Luna's hair that fell about her face in a halo. Her wide eyes turned to the skies and the eagerness, the anticipation on her face made her look like a young priestess worshipping the night. Harry could barely stand the fervor he saw in her eyes as she waited for the one she had been dreaming about. Her only.

A piece of paper fluttered in the darkness, dropping out of the sky. Harry watched as Luna caught it neatly in the air and unfolded it. Her face grew warm and pink as she read, and when she finished she looked around with greater intensity, seeming to have forgotten about her unwanted guardian altogether.

"Come to me. I'm here," she whispered to the night, eyes pleading with the darkness as she clasped the note to her chest. "I need you, too." But no one appeared.

Harry inched closer, his eyes darting between Luna's rapturous face and the Forbidden Forest. The ancient trees towered above them, their twisted trunks and branches looking like gnarled demons in the dim light. He felt his breath coming faster in the unusual stillness of the air. Something was wrong.

Luna turned in slow circles, her face alight. It was when she had her back to the Forest that Harry saw it. A dark figure, cloaked in black, hovering above the trees on a broomstick. Harry watched in disbelief as the figure raised a thin shape – a wand – and shot a green beam of light towards the tree below. And with a horror he couldn't comprehend, Harry saw the tree _move_. Its branches stretched, waved, tested the air, and then with a horrible lurch, the tree bent forward and two of its branches reached like giant arms for Luna.

Harry's throat was tight but he managed to cry, "_Luna_!" She turned with a scowl and froze in horror when she saw what was reaching for her. She screamed.

Harry didn't have time to think as he ran to her, the Invisibility Cloak falling to the ground behind him. He leapt, diving through the blackness, and knocked her out of the way just as the branches snapped above them, grasping desperately in the air. They retreated just as quickly as they had come, and with a horrible screech that was more bird-like than human, the black figure shot straight up in the air and disappeared.

Harry's heart pounded so heavily he felt it would burst. He felt himself shaking as he rolled off her so that she could breathe. Luna lay beneath him, her mouth open as she gasped in gulps of air. Her eyes were wide and stared at the sky in disbelief. Her skin was pale and moist with the perspiration of pure terror, and she wouldn't look at him.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice steady. She didn't answer, but it was obvious that she was not. The note had fallen at her side and Harry reached for it. She didn't stop him, and he read:

My love for you grows, an ever-reaching tidal. No  
Name nor sound will slake my thirst for you. There  
Is only one cure. I need your soul, your eyes calling for me, and  
Every story ever written will pale in the passion that we share.

Eternally Yours

Harry lifted his eyes from the note and looked at Luna who was still lying on the ground in shock. "Will you at least now believe that he's dangerous?" he asked softly, but Luna didn't answer. She couldn't.

And he understood.

0 0 0

"You shouldn't have done that, Harry, that was really, _really_ dangerous," Hermione said disapprovingly the next morning. He was gathered in the Gryffindor common room with her, Ron, Ginny and Neville while the rest of the school was at breakfast, and he had just told them about the events of the previous night.

"If I hadn't gone, he would have taken her," Harry said bitterly. He had barely gotten any sleep that night, and along with being exhausted he was still shaken over what had happened. This was not a good combination, and as a result he was feeling very crabby.

"I know that, but you should have at least told one of us what you were going to do," she protested, her eyes serious. "When I think what could have happened, what he could have done…"

"But he didn't," Harry argued. "I stopped him."

"He'll try again, you know he will," Neville mumbled.

"And now he has a whole new reason to hate _you_," Ginny added.

Hermione frowned, her face grim. "At least we know one thing. It isn't a student. No one at this school could Transfigure a tree like that. We're dealing with someone older. More experienced." She blinked at what she had said and shivered. Ron draped his jacket over her shoulders and she turned to him with a brief smile before looking back at Harry.

"I don't like it. None of us do," she said quietly. "From now on, one of us should be with her at all times. We'll have to shadow her, at least until we know more and the danger is over."

The group around her silently echoed their agreement.

0 0 0

Luna, however, wasn't thrilled with the plan when Harry and Ron cornered her in the halls between lessons that morning.

"No," she said bluntly. "I don't want to be followed like some naughty child who can't take care of herself."

Harry's temper broke. He had been thinking about her non-stop since the night before, about the look on her face and the tears that streaked her cheeks after the horror of the attack. Harry had helped her back to the castle, half-supporting her weight with his arms as she clung to him, and when he left her before the painting of the snoozing satyr, she had looked at him gratefully. But now she was glaring at him as if the events of the previous night had somehow been _his_ fault.

"How can you say that after what happened?" he demanded, aware of Ron tugging his arm in warning, but not caring.

"It was a mistake," she said calmly. "I know he would never hurt me. If _you_ hadn't interfered…"

"Oh, hell!" Harry burst. "Do you honestly believe that? What was he going to do, take you up in the nice cuddly tree and have a tea party? He was going to take you, Luna, violently if need be. You don't know what would have happened if I hadn't moved you out of the way."

"Maybe he was just trying to frighten _you_ away, did you think about that?" Luna demanded, little spots of color burning in her cheeks. The hall around them started to empty as students ducked into various classrooms. She shook her head fiercely and sighed. "Look, I have to go. I don't want to talk about this."

"I'll walk you," Ron offered.

"Don't bother," she snapped, but then looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry," she added quickly. "I just… I have to go." She turned, not before glaring at Harry one last time, and scurried away.

Harry stared after her, feeling conflicting emotions of anger and helplessness. What could he do to make her listen to reason?

Ron whistled low under his breath and Harry scowled at him. "What?"

Ron shrugged and turned. "Oh nothing," he said, glancing over at Harry as he started walking. "It's just that she's finally turned into a girl, hasn't she?"

_And that_, Harry thought as he hurried to catch up to his best friend, _was the entire problem_.

0 0 0

Another letter came for Harry that night. He had been expecting it and waited in the common room long after everyone else went to bed. The owl that tapped on the window was the same as before, and it flew off into the night the instant it dropped the letter in Harry's lap.

Harry unrolled it, feeling anger boil inside him at the thought that the monster had touched this parchment. Hands shaking, he read:

You may think you have won. But I will come stronger and faster than before. You can't guard her all the time. And she will come to me in the end.

The scar on his forehead screamed with pain. Harry dropped the letter with a gasp and clasped his hands to it, rubbing fiercely at the feel of knives tearing open his skin. His anger was replaced with fear. This couldn't have anything to do with Voldemort – it _couldn't_. His scar had hurt before at odd times and it had led him astray… this was no different.

But either way, this newest letter wasn't anything to celebrate. And as much as she was going to hate it, he and the others were going to have to watch Luna more closely than ever.


	6. Chapter Six: Vanished!

Hey, all. This is the last chapter before the "big revelation," so I thought I'd provide a little cheat sheet for the clues that matter and some hints... because I've really made them too subtle to mean anything. Shame on me! They're clear after the fact, but before... maybe not so much. So here goes!

1. The "I am not a Slytherin" letter in CH2 - _technically_ true, but you'll just have to think outside the box on this one.

2. The "Canto I" poem in CH3 - Ron was right about the interpretation (Pluto), not Hermione, even though hers does fit rather well...

3. "Irate meat ahead" CH4 - let's just say that Tom Riddle would get it. The meaning of this is actually revealed later in this chapter, so if you want to ponder this one, don't read ahead yet.

4. The dropped poem in CH5 - it's not the actual words that matter, but the arrangement of them... and if you look close enough you may find a name.

That's it. Hope you enjoy (and don't think I'm too insane). ;)

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**Chapter Six – Vanished!!**

Luna and Harry's relationship didn't improve in the coming days. She was still furious with him for reasons unknown to any but herself, and since he had acquired the unfortunate behavior of resembling a tomato whenever they happened to pass in the halls, the others had taken over the duty of tailing her to make sure she didn't get herself into more trouble than necessary.

All in all, she was being very good. Since the night she had nearly been kidnapped, she had been staying indoors, even during break, although the autumn weather was unusually warm and most students were outside enjoying the Indian Summer. Outwardly, at least, she had stopped showing signs that she was madly in love with an older maniac, but it was really anyone's guess what she was feeling on the inside.

"After all," Hermione said knowledgeably one afternoon as they waited for Charms to begin, "she was in denial. Someone she really cared about turned out to be, er… not exactly what she'd hoped. She couldn't admit she'd been wrong when she wanted so badly for him to be her ideal. It'll wear off. You'll see. Any day now she'll be ready to forgive you, Harry."

But Harry wasn't so sure. She had been purposely avoiding him whenever they happened to meet. Sometimes he would look up and see her coming towards him, a dreamy smile on her lips and face half-hidden beneath the curtain of dirty blonde hair. Harry would freeze, then force himself to open his mouth, words miraculously on the tip of his tongue, but she'd gracefully turn her head, hum a random tune to herself (often "Weasley is My King" with alarming frequency) and sweep on by. Which left Harry stupidly staring after her, clenching his fists to keep himself from following her and acting like more of a cad than she already thought he was.

"Oh, let her be," Ron said, half buried in his bag as he searched for his Charms textbook. "She wants to be alone, let her. Anyway, you don't especially care what she thinks, do you, Harry?" He lifted his head and watched Harry rather shrewdly, causing Harry to fidget and make quite a show of taking his wand out of his pocket and laying it neatly next to his quill.

"No. Why should I?"

But he did. So much. That was the entire problem. It was worse even than when Cho had been ignoring him the previous year, because the two of them had never really had anything besides Quidditch in common. With Luna it was different. She wasn't some ideal fantasy of a girl he liked much better in his head than in the flesh: she was real. They had been through so much together and he felt that he knew her better than any other girl (with the exception of Hermione, of course). And even the parts he was confused about, the inner self she kept hidden away under an absentminded, spacey exterior… he wanted to know. Desperately. Would do almost anything to have her show him. And in return, he would give her everything he was.

Not if she refused to speak to him. Which was really rather stupid, he thought as he viciously poked his wand at the chicken he was supposed to be making talk and it squawked angrily in response. If she'd really rather be alone than with friends… and someone who wanted to be more… then she truly was an idiot, and no one he should waste his time with.

He tried to tell himself that it didn't matter. That she was Loony Lovegood and no one he wanted to taint his reputation with, anyway… except that none of it mattered. He was beyond talking himself out of what he felt. The only solution would be to confront her directly and let her decide if they were worth anything. And if she said no… well, he didn't want to think about that. Not yet. He had enough to deal with while Voldemort was on the loose and his Death Eaters already escaped from Azkaban, let alone that secret admirer fellow of Luna's. No. He would make her listen to him. Whatever it took.

All this was good in theory, but when he actually ran into her that night on his way to the Great Hall for supper, he froze and his tongue grew several inches thick within his mouth. Luna barely glanced at him as she fingered her earrings (earrings that eerily resembled dangling fish scales), but the way she moved closer to the wall opposite him as she walked let him know that she was very aware of his presence.

"No," Harry said loudly, so loudly that several passing students looked at him in bewilderment. He ignored them as he crossed the hall and stood directly in her path. For a moment he thought she was going to walk around him, but she stopped and looked up, her face so perfectly normal and composed that he was amazed.

"What do you want, Harry?" she asked calmly, her gray eyes revealing nothing. "Dinner's about to start."

"Oh, you're actually eating now?" he asked and then winced as he realized how rude that sounded and tried again. "Hello, Luna. How are you?"

She looked at him blankly and he swallowed as he realized this was not going well at all. "We need to talk," he said warily.

"We're talking."

"Not here. Somewhere… else. Not so crowded."

Luna stared at him for a moment, not moving, and then repeated, "What do you want, Harry?"

Harry sighed. This would have to do. He took a deep breath as he watched her, trying to mentally build the courage he needed to speak. Strange how he could face a Basilisk and barely flinch but talking to eccentric little girl almost cost him everything he had.

Finally he just blurted it. "We can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?" Blank, blank were her eyes. Uncaring. Cold. Harry swallowed again.

"This. Avoiding each other. Pretending nothing happened."

"I'm being careful. It's not your problem."

"I miss you," Harry said and then bit his tongue as she blinked in surprise. He hadn't meant to say that. But once it had been said, he couldn't take it back and felt he might as well be true about everything else. "I miss you," he repeated. "Talking to you. I want us to be… friends."

Luna shrugged. "Fine. We are."

"That what I'm talking about. This is nothing. It's false. Meaningless."

"What else should it be?" As Harry struggled with this, Luna checked her wrist for a watch, frowned when she saw she wasn't wearing one and sighed. "I really don't have time for this, Harry. We have to get to dinner. I'll see you around."

"Fine. We'll meet later and continue this."

Luna paused, mid-step. She didn't turn around. "I'm busy later."

"Doing what? Writing little love letters to your special friend?"

"Yes, if you must know. Not that it's any of your business or ever has been." Luna spun around and faced him, her eyes flashing with the emotion she had so carefully kept hidden earlier. "I told you before to leave me alone, Harry. I wasn't joking or lying or whatever you seem to think I was. I'm so tired of doing this. The insinuations, the stalking…"

"Stalking!" Harry interrupted. "You think _I'm_ the one you should be worried about?"

"Well, okay, no. I know you're harmless, but so is my friend. I'm so tired of you telling me what to do and trying to ruin whatever happiness I find for myself."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" Harry asked quietly, stunned by this. Luna looked at him directly and her eyes were pained. "I just want to help. I'm trying to keep you from being hurt."

"Welcome to the world!" Luna exclaimed. "You can't plan someone else's life for them. It's all just guess and check… and if I get hurt, so what. I'll learn. I don't need you to lead me by the hand anywhere. Why did you take _me_ on as your special project, anyway?"

"Because I care about you, alright?" Harry burst and at the look on her face, embarrassed and silently pleading with him to stop, he reddened and added, "I care about you. I want you to be happy."

"And what? You're the person who decides what makes me happy?" Luna was blushing, too, and much as his brain was telling him to shut up and walk away before he made things worse, Harry opened his mouth and leaped further into the pit of humiliation and self-loathing.

"Maybe I want to. Be the person who makes you happy."

"Right now you're just making me want to scream. Do me a favor, Harry, and stay away from me. Just stay away. I don't want to see you again. I don't want to talk to you if this is the way things are going to be when we speak."

"Luna, please. I'm sorry. Hey," Harry said quickly when she turned again to leave and reached out to take her hand. Luna stiffened at his touch but then relaxed as she looked back at him. Her hand was very warm clasped in his, and she squeezed his hand slightly as if in apology.

For a moment he wondered if he should make some dramatic gesture and kiss her hand like knights of olde, but then decided he'd already humiliated himself enough that night and cleared his throat to speak again. "I just like spending time with you," he said awkwardly, eyes on the ground. "I don't want to lose you."

"Lose me? Harry, you can't lose me. Because we're not…"

"Anything. I know. But I'm saying I want to be. And I don't think I'm too far off if I say that somewhere inside you do, too." He held his breath at that last word, head pounding with the suspense of each second as she stayed silent. Luna looked at him, truly looked at him, her eyes probing his own deeply. There was a glimmer in them, a wetness, as her chest rose and fell with each breath.

"You're right," she said finally, softly. "I am in love." But just when Harry was allowing feeling to creep back into his chest, she gently extricated her hand from his and took a step back. "Just not with you. I'm sorry."

Harry was stunned. "Luna," he started as she started backing away.

"Stay away from me, Harry. I'm begging you. If you meant what you said, you'll respect that. Leave me alone. It's best. And if you don't, I'll go to Flitwick. I swear I will. Stay away from me." And with that, she turned and hurried off, head bent over her folded arms, leaving Harry standing behind, feeling like the biggest ass in the world. Because after a plea like that, there was really nothing he could do. It was finished.

0 0 0

Harry went back to the Gryffindor Common Room and sat in the armchair by the fire. Just sitting. His brain was too in shock to form thoughts of any consequence. Hermione and Ron left him alone when they came back from dinner, and he was grateful. It was almost like they already knew.

0 0 0

Things were very quiet after that. Ron and Hermione were brightly cheerful with him the next few days, and didn't mention the fact that he was withdrawn into himself during lessons and in-between. They took extra care not to bicker in front of him, and Hermione let him copy her homework when he was too distracted to do it himself. And Ron didn't even complain about the unfairness.

As for Luna… he didn't see her at all, and it was probably better than way. She had learned which routes he took to his classes and carefully avoided running into him… an action Harry was secretly glad for. He didn't know what he would say if he saw her, what he would do. With part of him wanting to rush forward and frantically kiss her, and the other wishing he'd never met her at all… it would have been a complicated reunion. One he wished to delay. And in the meantime, he would do his best to forget her, an action that was turning out to be far more difficult than he would have thought a month ago.

For a few days it seemed that all was going to be alright. Luna hated him, sure, but at least she was safe. She wasn't stupid enough to go trotting out by herself at night again, and her admirer had stopped sending Harry letters. Part of him felt that he had been overreacting, and the other that kept caution alive was curiously silent in the face of his current dilemma.

All this, however, was before Hermione suddenly looked up from her Transfiguration notes one day in class and gasped.

Professor McGonagall stopped lecturing and turned away from the parrot she was about to turn into zebra and frowned at Hermione, as did most of the class. "Miss Granger, that reaction is usually saved for after I do my transfigurations, not before. Are you quite well?"

Hermione did not look well at all. Her hands were clasped over her mouth and her eyes stared wildly at the parchment in front of her. She was so pale that Nearly Headless Nick would have appeared tan had he materialized next to her. Ron nudged her slightly in question, but she shook her head and wouldn't look at him.

"I… I have to see Madam Pomfrey. I… I think I'm coming down with the flu. I feel awful. Wretched, really."

McGonagall narrowed her eyes and watched her suspiciously, but finally waved a hand and nodded. "As you wish. Hurry, Miss Granger, and pray next time go to the nurse before you interrupt my class." But she smiled kindly to show that she wasn't really angry as Hermione stood shakily and gathered her books in her arms. Harry reached out a hand to grab her sleeve but she dodged out of the way, mouthed "later" and hurried out of the classroom while Harry and Ron exchanged bewildered looks.

The rest of the hour was near torture. Harry wasn't even impressed when McGonagall turned the parrot into a zebra and then a wallaby to demonstrate cross-species Transfiguration. Ron, beside him, was even more anxious than he, and kept glancing over at the door as if hoping Hermione would appear in the doorway. But she didn't. When the bell finally rang, it wasn't nearly soon enough.

Harry and Ron raced down the hallway toward the hospital wing after class, but they didn't get very far before they saw Hermione standing in a corner, waving them over frantically.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron asked anxiously, reaching out as if to touch her shoulder but then rapidly pulling his hand back to his side.

"I'm fine. I'm okay. It's not me… it's, oh dear… we've been seeing it all _wrong_. And now… what he'll do…We have to stop… before. Oh no."

"Hermione." Harry was very alarmed. He had rarely seen Hermione like this, and only in situations of extreme danger. "What is it? What do you know?"

She took a deep gasping breath to calm herself and then looked at him, her eyes wide. "It's Luna," she said breathlessly and then retrieved a piece of parchment from her pocket and her hands trembled as she unfolded it. "She's in trouble. Big trouble."

At the sound of the name, Harry's heart leapt and he reached for the paper she held. It was the poem Hermione had taken from Luna earlier, the one none of them had understood.

Irate meat ahead  
Err, old lovers vomited  
Odiously meaty wool  
You olive

Eternally Yours

"Yes?" he prompted, hands clutching the note. Hermione looked like she was about to faint and Ron put a friendly arm around her shoulders; she leaned into him gratefully.

"It was when we were in class. I was tracing the words 'I love you' in my notebook and I saw…"

"Why were you doing that?" Harry asked, bewildered.

Hermione said nothing.

Ron said nothing.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter. Go ahead. What happened."

Hermione cleared her throat. "The poem," she said desperately, shaking a hand at it. "You olive. Oh, don't you see? It's an anagram. A riddle. Why didn't I notice earlier?"

Harry stared at the parchment he held, confused. "An anagram?"

"Yes, and I spent the last hour working out the rest of it. It's worse than we thought. We have to tell her. Now. Before… oh no."

"Hermione, what…?"

"Turn it around," she said anxiously. "I wrote on the back. It's bad."

Harry stared at her for another second before turning the parchment around, the lump in his throat gaining weight with each breath. Hermione's usually neat handwriting was scribbled shakily on the back, and the words he read gave him no comfort. Ice crept down his spine.

Irate meat ahead – _I am a Death Eater  
_Err, old lovers vomited – _I serve Lord Voldemort  
_Odiously meaty wool – _Someday you will too  
_You olive – _I love you_

"Harry, we have to find her. She has to know who's after her," Hermione said desperately and Harry looked up, feeling dazed. He handed the letter to Ron, whose face grew darker and darker as he read.

There was no hesitation, not even for a second. "Let's go," he said, and the three of them took off running.

0 0 0

But finding Luna was easier said than done. They ran into Neville and Ginny on the stairs, and Ginny told them that Luna had Herbology next. Neville offered to check and hurried off to the greenhouses while the others stood around anxiously and Ginny turned as pale as Hermione when she was handed the letter. Within a few minutes, Neville returned, red-faced and breathing through his mouth. Luna, he reported, was not in class, and from what he could tell by asking one of the fifth years, she hadn't been to her classes all day.

They decided the next logical place to check was the hospital wing, and as they hurried along, Harry found himself thinking half-amusedly that he had never wished someone would be in the hospital wing before. But Madam Pomfrey looked faintly annoyed when they burst in demanding to see Luna, and confirmed that she, too, hadn't seen her all day. They ran before she could ask them what they were doing out of class.

"So what do we do now?" Ginny asked anxiously once they were safely in a deserted hallway. She wrung her hands and looked pleadingly at Harry as if he had all the answers. He wished he did.

"Check the Ravenclaw common room," he said, wanting to sound more confident than he did. "She must be there." So they went.

But it did no good, because the satyr portrait that guarded the entrance laughed merrily and refused entrance without a password, even as they yelled at him in frustration. Finally, a curly-haired redhead opened the portrait and glared out into the hall.

"And what are _you_ all doing out here?" she demanded. "_Some_ of us are trying to study."

"Prudentia," Ginny said desperately, "have you seen Luna?"

"Yes, I've seen her," the girl said sarcastically.

"Recently?"

Prudentia seemed quite struck by that. "Well… no. I haven't thought about it. She was at breakfast. Maybe."

"Could you check?" Ginny asked, and when Prudentia turned a surprised look at her because of her tone, added, "We wouldn't ask, except that it's really important. Please, Pru. We need your help."

"I'll get her," Prudentia said, looking confused, but nodding. She went back through the portrait hole and shut the frame behind her. The satyr leaned against the tree and played his lute lazily.

Those few minutes while they waited were terrible. Neville paced back and forth, glancing at the portrait every few seconds as if hoping Luna would magically materialize. Ron and Hermione were leaned into each other, whispering, completely unself-conscious about holding hands. And Ginny stared at the ground chewing her lip, so pale that her freckles stood out like dark blemishes against her skin. As for Harry… it was better not to say what Harry was feeling because his insides were dancing and at war with each other.

Prudentia returned within minutes but it felt like hours. The instant the portrait opened, all five Gryffindors snapped to attention and crowded around her. Prudentia's red eyebrows were raised almost to her hairline as she stared at them unabashedly.

"Well?" Harry demanded. "Where is she?"

"She's not here. Check the library," Prudentia said shrugging, completely unconcerned and unaware what her casual words did to Luna's friends. "She's been more serious lately. I think she's finally realized how important OWL year is to us all, because this is…"

"Not there?" Ron demanded and Prudentia looked at him in blunt surprise.

"That's what I said. And she's taken that hideous bear with her. I hope she's gotten rid of it. I swear that thing has real eyes. It was like it watched me while I slept. I hated it. Hey… where are you going? Ginny!" But the five raced away from the Ravenclaw wing, feeling more sick than before.

"Harry," Hermione gasped as they ran. "The map!"

For a minute Harry didn't understand, but then he felt like smacking himself. Of course, the Mauraders Map. Why didn't he think of that earlier? "Come on," he said, leading the way up the stairs to their own common room.

Harry raced into the dorm, the others at his heels, and dove under his bed to where he kept the map, wrapped in an old puce-colored flannel shirt of Dudley's. He unrolled it, tapped it with his wand, and anxiously waited as Hogwarts appeared before him.

He and Hermione, leaning over his shoulder, scanned the map. Neville didn't register any surprise at seeing it, even though he must have been very confused. Soon, Harry's lump in his throat dropped to his stomach, because as much as he looked, no dot reading 'Luna Lovegood' appeared on the map. She was simply not in the castle or anywhere on the grounds.

"I don't believe this," Hermione said, white. "He has her. He must have her."

"How?" Ron asked in disbelief. "He couldn't exactly sweep in her and grab her. That would cause too many questions."

"The bear," Hermione said in a choked voice. "It must have been a portkey."

"But she's had it all year," Ginny protested.

"I know. But there is a spell to turn it on and off at will. His will. And now he has her."

Harry stared furiously at the map, wishing, hoping they'd somehow missed her. His insides felt like ice. Luna was gone, and unless the admirer contacted him again to taunt him, there was no way he could find her. Ever again.

He had never been a particularly pious boy, but right then he felt like praying. _Please let her be safe_, he thought desperately. _Until I can find her. I will find her. And I'll make him wish he never laid a hand on her._

And with that silent promise, Harry shut his eyes in despair.


	7. Chapter Seven: Lady of the Night

**Chapter Seven – Lady of the Night**

Luna was dreaming. She was abstractly aware of this fact, as one is aware of one's surroundings when deeply involved in a beloved task, but for that moment it didn't matter. She was dreaming, and it was more real than life, the colors richer, the sounds clearer. She was gliding along in the complete absence of thought. A beautiful, quiet obliviousness that eased her mind in a way it hadn't been in weeks.

She was walking through a forest, the birds chirping lazily overhead. Streams of sunlight slithered through the canopy and created pools of light on the ground, illuminating the pine cones and leaves that were scattered haphazardly at her feet. Luna was drawn forward by a cool wind that touched her face and fluttered her long hair like a fan around her. Sun patches illuminated her smile and she felt warm and very safe. There was nothing she had to do but walk and sigh and dream.

She drew nearer to a clearing and stepped hesitantly into the full sunlight. Ahead of her was a pond, the surface gently rippling in the breeze. Luna sank to her knees near the water's edge and dug her fingers into the soft grass and earth at her sides. Slowly, Luna leaned forward and looked down at her reflection dancing on the water of the little pool. One side of her hair fell forward but the other was tucked back neatly behind her ear. Her eyes opened and closed in a slow blink as she examined herself, and then carefully, almost cautiously, she reached out a hand and lightly touched the reflection of the tip of her nose, which sent the image dancing in waves that distorted the picture.

When the water cleared, there was another face next to hers, peering down into the water and smiling. Luna wasn't surprised. She never was when her mother appeared in her dreams. It could be as often as a week or as little as seven months, but the time in between her visions seemed like nothing at all when faced with her again. Luna smiled and lifted her head.

The person beside her was not a woman in the prime of her life, but a girl around Luna's own age. Her mother, laughing softly, her eyes dancing and sparkling with life. It was only in her dreams that Luna gave her mother what she could never have again.

"My darling girl," her mother whispered and reached out a hand to touch her cheek gently. Her hair was golden and wavy and her eyes, instead of the introspective, veiled gray that Luna owned, were a clear violet, open and warm. Luna felt filled with life and leaned against her mother's hand like a little girl.

"I've missed you," she said.

"I'm here." The girl withdrew her hand and smiled. Warm. Angelic.

"I needed you," Luna continued. "I did a bad thing…" But she trailed off, her dream memory fogged and unsure. In confusion, Luna turned again to the pond and saw a face reflected there, a face with eyes full of pain, but the image was fleeting and gone before she knew what to make of it.

"You're strong, my baby. Never forget that. Even if I can't be here with you, you are never alone." Snow fell lightly from the sky, but the water did not stir. Luna looked up and saw the sun shining as brightly as before in a cloudless sky, but there was the snow falling, falling… Her mother's golden hair and eyelashes were coated in snowflakes, but still she was smiling and laughing soundlessly, her face full of love.

"My Luna, my Selene, my love," her mother whispered, her voice sounding hollow and as if it came from a distance. Shocked, Luna looked at her and saw the girl fading. Desperately, she reached out a hand but it went through the ghostly figure.

"Mum!" she cried, worried.

"Whatever else he may take, your soul is your own," her mother said and her eyes were sad. "Never forget who you are."

"Mother!"

She was gone.

Luna shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Snow covered the ground and the forest behind her was cold, barren. The leaves were gone. The birds didn't sing. Something flashed in the water and she saw the face again, and this time she knew him. Harry.

"No more," he said, his eyes green and cold, and before Luna could reach out to him, crackling ice moved across the pond and froze the image. Luna clawed at the surface, but her hands were cut by the ice and quickly cramped with the cold. She had to withdraw, pressing her hands to her frozen cheeks, watching his eyes glare accusingly at her.

No. Luna couldn't stay. She stood and started to run… somewhere, anywhere, as long as it was away. The shadow pursued her, gaining substance and fury with each step. Luna ran through the dead forest and branches caught her hair. Thorns cut her skin. Roots leapt up to trip her and she twisted her ankle. So much pain… She fell, unable to go on.

The shadow was upon her.

It was.

She was.

With a strangled cry, Luna awoke.

0 0 0

She opened her eyes and listened to the stillness around her, so in contrast with her rapidly beating heart and quick breath. She knew it had been a dream and nothing, but couldn't calm down, especially when she looked around and saw that she was not safe in her bed in the Ravenclaw dorm, but somewhere entirely different.

_Where am I_?

Trembling, Luna sat up. Her head hurt as her mind probed back and she tried to remember what had happened before she dreamed. All she could remember was blackness. But no, that wasn't right. She closed her eyes and concentrated. There was the fight with Harry. Yes. But that had been long ago. Since then she had been going through the days, existing but not living. Trying to forget.

Until that morning. She had gotten dressed as usual but didn't go down to breakfast. For some reason she couldn't face it. And as she sat there on her bed, absently twirling a lock of her hair around her wand, she felt herself being watched. Not the casual glance of a stranger, but watched in a way that was longing and intimate. Without looking up, Luna could feel herself blushing. The gaze was heated.

But there was no one there. Confused, she looked around and saw the bear sitting in the corner as it always did, its face frozen in a smile and its arms spread wide. But this time, the glass eyes were real and looking at her. They gleamed with reflected light and, as she watched, blinked.

Everything after that was fuzzy. Luna could remember standing and going over to it in the corner, her arm outstretched. Everything was still, surreal. The eyes looked at her, beckoning her forward and when she lightly touched its arm she felt a jerking around her middle and then a curious sensation of freefall before the darkness came. And she slept. And she dreamed.

But now she was awake and frightened. Luna wrapped her arms around herself against the chill, despite the fire that roared in the fireplace across the room. Every few minutes, a log from a pile next to it would float into the air and pitch itself into the flames, making them crackle and leap higher than before. Above the fireplace was a painting, a hideous deformation of a body floating in an underwater shipwreck, its mouth open in a silent and dead scream. She remembered Harry's face in her dream trapped under the ice and shivered.

She was laying on a bed, an ancient canopy with cracked green velvet curtains that were tied back with golden-colored rope. The wood was dark with age and twisted into a spiral as it led to the ceiling. The walls were covered with a dark wallpaper, a gray so intense it was almost black. A couple of chairs and an antique sofa covered with the same velvet fabric as the bed hangings sat across the room, still and shadowed. A glittering chandelier hung from the ceiling, shining with reflected light of the fire. The room was fairly small, but nothing about it could be called cozy.

Luna focused her attention inward on her body, trying to feel each part of herself with her mind, searching for any bruises and hurts. But despite an overwhelming sleepiness, Luna could feel no pain. She hadn't been touched. That was a slight comfort.

A silver-handled door was shut across the room and Luna swung her legs over the side of the bed to stand, but the instant her feet touched the ground and she pulled herself up, an overwhelming dizziness overcame her and she collapsed to the floor. She pressed her hands firmly against the rust-colored carpet and tried to calm her breathing. She felt weak, lifeless. Struggling against the resistance of her muscles, Luna forced herself to her feet and leaned back against the wall, little beads of sweat forming at her temples. Her legs shook with the effort, but she was able to stand.

Luna closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing. The smell of smoked wood was making her sick. Determined, she started inching along the wall, slowly but steadily, pausing for breath and rest every couple feet. She had to reach the door. She didn't know what would happen when she reached it or what it would open up to, but she couldn't keep lying on the bed, weak and waiting for whatever lay ahead.

With every cell of her body, she knew she was in danger. She had to get away. Now.

She reached the little sitting area and cautiously stepped away from the wall. Immediately, her vision swam before her and she felt herself falling. Luna took a desperate step forward and steadied herself against the back of the sofa until she could see again. Exhausted breaths shook her chest as she gathered herself.

A creak shook the silence and the ancient door swung open. Luna lifted her head wearily and saw a figure illuminated against the light from the hall.

"Oh no, no, no," a voice cried out and a hand bearing a wand lifted. "That won't do. You must rest." The arm made a swirling pattern that ended in a flick and Luna's feet lifted from the ground as she floated back to the bed. She gritted her teeth in frustration when she landed and her hands balled into fists that pressed angrily into the soft sheets. "You're still weak," the voice continued, soothingly, and Luna lifted her head, curious despite her wariness.

The figure in the doorway was tall and the voice male, but a light tenor rather than a deep baritone. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, both nervous and anxious. So many weeks spent wondering and waiting, and now he was here… For the moment she forgot that she had been cruelly kidnapped and the lonely girl who had first opened his letters and read the admiring words came to the surface again. But she had changed so much since then, and although the feeling in her middle was anxious, her eyes were cold.

The man stepped forward into the firelight. Luna's breath caught as she saw his face. It was no one she knew, and yet at the same time oddly familiar. "We meet again," he said, and his dark eyes fixed on her face as if he couldn't look away. "You don't know how long I've dreamt of this moment. Sitting in that cell those long cold months, it was your face that kept me alive."

Luna stared at him in disbelief. Here was a man, young in face and voice, but still old enough to make her gulp. She guessed him to be in his late thirties, possibly early forties. What could he possibly want with _her_ and why? He was smiling, making him appear young and eager as a boy, although the lines on his forehead revealed his age. His hair and eyes were both dark as night, and his face neither attractive nor unattractive. She doubted she would have looked twice at him if she passed him on the street, but now he was all she could see.

"Who are you?" she whispered, cold creeping along her spine.

The smile drooped and he sighed. "Don't you know?" he asked heavily. "I told you in my letters." The voice was almost pleading.

"Riddles," Luna said. "How could I know?"

"I had to. I had to. If anyone saw… if they found out… so I hid. But I knew you would know."

"But I didn't. I have no idea who you are."

He looked hurt and so very young. "But I've known you and loved you. Ever since last June in the Department of Mysteries. You blew up Pluto in my face, so brave and beautiful as you protected your wounded friend, that skinny little red head. I saw you and I loved you."

Luna remembered then, oh so vividly. He had been wearing a cape, his face concealed under a dark hood. They had been in the room with the mysterious floating planets, and she saw him lift his wand towards Ginny who was struggling along as she limped with her broken ankle, her face white and twisted with pain. Ron had been useless, giggling at Uranus, so she raised her own wand and exploded the nearest planet. It hit him in the face and he screamed. But when he looked at her, he fell silent. She had thought that he was stunned, but now realized that he had stared at her for a completely different reason. He hadn't come after her when she grabbed Ron's hand and pulled Ginny to her feet and fled with them.

That long ago… so he was a Death Eater. A supporter of the most evil wizard in history. He had tried to hurt her friends. Her blood boiled with anger and she glared at him.

She remembered Ron laughing in the library at what seemed so long ago, when he suggested she and her admirer had shared some romantic moment over Pluto. He had been joking at the time… but also completely right.

"The poem," she said softly. "I remember. So you're one of them. A Death Eater."

He looked pleased. "My name is Avery," he said, inclining his head gently. Luna stared at him in disbelief. That's why he looked familiar, because his face had been on the cover of the Daily Prophet almost every week since he and the other Death Eaters had escaped from Azkaban that September. Firelight gleamed against a silver pin holding his cloak closed at his neck: a snake. She felt sick.

"I don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "You told me you weren't a Slytherin, but you _must _have been."

His eyes darkened as he looked at her. "I told you correctly," he said coldly. "I am _not_ a Slytherin… but I was. I was shocked and hurt that you thought my passion a simple school boy's attraction. It's so much deeper than that, so much more serious. Now you understand."

Luna felt very tired. "I do." She tried to stand again and a roaring darkness filled her head so she was forced to sit back on the bed. "What did you do to me?" she asked dizzily.

Avery placed a hand to his heart and looked stricken. "I? _I_? I would never hurt you, my dear. I simply gave you something to help you sleep. You looked so little and lost when I brought you here, that I thought you could use the rest." He walked over to the desk by the bedside table, opened the top drawer and pulled out a strange object. Luna knew enough about Muggle culture to see that it was a hypodermic needle.

"I traded one of those doctors in the village my silver candlesticks for this. Silly little man. My colleagues may disagree, but I find Muggles smarter than most of our world will admit. This, for example… All it took was a little poke and you were safe. I couldn't bring myself to cast a spell on you, you see."

"So you drugged me?" Luna asked dully. His logic was making her weary.

Again, he looked pained. "Not to hurt you," he insisted. "I never would. I thought it would be better for us to reunite gradually. To lesson the shock."

Luna looked around the room. In that he had failed.

Avery misinterpreted her look. "Don't worry," he assured her. "My family home has been Unplottable for generations. My ancestors were cautious men. Those fools in the Ministry will never find me here." He smiled at her fondly and then nodded towards the fireplace. Luna's eyes were drawn again to the painting of the drowned man.

"How do you like it?"

"It's horrible."

"So was he." There was pride in his voice. "My great-great-great-great-grandfather, Silvanius Avery. He died in a shipwreck during a storm at sea. It was an experiment, you see. He thought of joining the wizards in America to see if they could establish rule in the new land. They thought of building plantations of Muggle slaves of every race and gaining the power they had been denied in Europe. My family has always sought the higher ranks of the world. But he never made it there."

"Silvanius," Luna repeated, testing the strange word. "What's your name?"

Avery shook his head and his eyes gleamed. "Did you never hear that whomever knows your name has power over you? And you already own as much of my soul that I can spare, my beauty."

Luna didn't like when he spoke like that. It made her feel ashamed, even though she had done nothing wrong. She wished he'd stop looking at her that way, as if he was holding himself back with a thin string from rushing forward and touching her. His eyes never moved from her face, from her body. She tried her best not to look back at him or encourage him in any way.

She thought of Harry smiling at her in the way he did before she made him angry. Harry with his friendly eyes that never demanded anything that she wasn't willing to give. And he cared about her; he really had. Luna knew this, but had been so scared when he told her how he felt. She wished she had listened and not given into the panic inside, for it was easier to love someone imaginary on paper than a real flesh and blood person. She hadn't wanted to hurt him or be hurt herself, and at the time it was the easiest thing in the world to run.

But thinking about him now, Luna felt like crying. For in her foolishness, she had really and truly lost him, because even if she saw him again he would surely never forgive her. Or care.

While she was thinking this, Avery moved closer and she looked up in shock when she saw that he was only feet away from her. "So beautiful," he murmured. "That pale skin and wide, clear eyes. Your moonlit hair. You're just like the moon goddess you're named for. A true lady of the night – we're meant for each other, you and I."

Her insides felt panicked and the only clear thought in her mind was that he must not touch her. "How is that?" she whispered. But Avery wasn't listening. He lifted a hand toward her and she immediately shrank back from his touch, skin crawling. Avery didn't appear to mind, and smiled as he let his hand fall back to his side.

"I knew your mother at Hogwarts," he said softly, "and I thought her beautiful. She never saw me. But now I have her daughter, and you and I will be together in every way." He stepped closer.

Luna's heart fluttered in panic. "Avery… don't," she pleaded.

He stopped and slightly cocked his head to the side. "Why do you look at me with such fear?" he asked. "Don't you know that I would never harm you?" Luna didn't answer, for she knew nothing about him and didn't care to. All she wanted was to get away. "I know," he said suddenly and blossomed into a big smile. "You must be hungry. You can't have eaten all day." He waved his hand and a tray full of food appeared in his hands.

"I made it myself," he explained. "Our old house elf died years ago and I find it easier to manage without servants anyway, for you never quite know who to trust in these times. Eat." He pushed the tray towards her, but Luna shook her head. She would touch nothing from him.

"No?" He looked disappointed and set the tray on the table beside her bed. "It's here if you change your mind. A word from your sweet mouth and I'll heat it up." Luna's nose twitched as she smelled the delicious fragrance of roast beef and mashed potatoes, and her stomach growled desperately, but still she didn't move. She refused.

Avery grew impatient as she stared at her hands, unmoving. "Oh, eat up!" he urged. "We'll be having a guest later, and you need your strength. We must be polite, you know."

Luna's curiosity was piqued. "A guest?"

Avery's smile grew until it stretched in a thin line across his face. "A very special guest," he said, pleased. "I would do anything to get back in the good graces of my lord."

Luna froze, her mouth gaping open. She stared at his mad face for a long moment before she was able to speak. "You-Know-Who… is coming _here_?" she gasped, but Avery laughed.

"No, no. I would never subject you to that. I hardly think he would approve, being so cold against emotions as he is. So I'll keep you here safe, my secret, my love. Don't you worry about that." But Luna hardly thought being kept as his prisoner qualified as "safe."

He continued. "I've written a letter to young Harry Potter and invited him to a party of mine," he said casually. Luna hadn't thought it possible to feel worse than she did, but at that she froze in horror and stared at him. She couldn't speak.

"I love you above all in the world," he explained, "but I've also known since that night when I saw him with you outside, thinking he was protecting you," here his face grew ugly and his eyes darkened, "from _me_ that he sees in you what I do. I always thought he was too interfering for his own good. You and I will never be free from him until he's disposed. Anyway, it'll please the Dark Lord when I capture him and he will reward me for my loyalty. He'll come," he assured Luna, looking excited.

"Well, he _won't_," Luna said and her voice was trembling. "I yelled at him and told him to go away. He doesn't care about me." The memory now was painful, like a knife stuck in her heart. But Avery laughed.

"He'll come. My circle has long known the boy's weakness for heroics. Like you or not, although I have little doubt that anyone on this earth would fail to love you, he will be here. So don't fret my dear," he added lazily. "He'll come."

Luna said nothing, and thought about how the only thing she would fret about was that Harry _would_ come and put himself in danger for her. When she deserved nothing from him… not his love or life… The idea that it was all her fault made her stomach do little flips and turns.

"You claim to love me," she said slowly, risking a glance at him. "You say I'm all that matters to you, but you're using me as… as _bait_ to get what you want."

Avery looked horrified and sank to his knees before the bed. Before she could say anything, he took one of her hands in his own and raised it to his lips. "I… love… you," he insisted between kisses as his lips moved higher and higher up her arm and he pushed back the sleeve of her jacket as he went. It bunched up to her elbow and he kissed the tender skin underneath. His lips were warm but Luna couldn't help shivering as he touched her.

Avery realized she was hesitant and sat back on his heels. "In time you will love me as I love you," he said, his eyes very near hers. Luna looked back. She thought for a minute that he was going to try to kiss her, but he stepped away and she was able to lower her eyes with relief.

He walked to a wardrobe across the room and opened it, revealing an old-fashioned white dress. Luna couldn't help looking in admiration. The bodice was covered with tiny pearls that shone in the light and the skirt glittered with silver lace over the sheer fabric. The sleeves were off the shoulder and tightly hugged the upper arms. It was truly beautiful.

"All my possessions are yours," Avery said, smiling. "My heart, my body…" seeing Luna wince, he laughed and continued. "My mother's clothes. All of it. Wear this for me."

It was truly beautiful, but Luna didn't like his tone, so possessive and assuming. Looking directly at him, she said firmly, "No."

Avery sighed. "Pity," he said, and before she knew what was happening, he lifted his wand and with a soft muttered spell, vanished her clothes. Luna wrapped her arms around herself and dove behind the velvet drapes. Her eyes peered at him over the top of them, hating him. But Avery was unconcerned.

"Your choice," he said lightly. "I have to make preparations for our guest. You are free to wander as you wish, but be warned that if you try to leave, these walls will turn into a labyrinth around you and none but I will be able to find you. Until later, my dear, and my heart always with you." With one last superior, mocking look, he turned and left.

Luna waited for a few minutes after he had gone before darting out from behind the curtain and rushing to the wardrobe. He had left her bra and underwear, but it was still an insult that he'd dared violate her so. She supposed it could have been worse, but that didn't stop her anger and embarrassment. Her heart ached as she struggled into the dress and remembered the sweet words he'd written to her earlier. How could she have been such a fool to believe in them? Maybe he truly did care about her, but she could never love him, not after this and the way he'd kidnapped her. And now Harry was in danger and it was all her fault.

_Please, Harry, please don't come_, she pleaded silently as she fumbled with the ties on the back of the dress. _I'm not worth it. Stay away. Don't let yourself be hurt on my account_.

Luna hadn't cried in years, not since her mother died, but now she leaned against the wardrobe and sobbed.

* * *

Hi, everyone. I've been pretty busy this last week, but because of a deep love of kittens and the thought that I probably shouldn't prolong this anyway, I finally sat down and _got 'r' don'_ (um... sorry, bad Larry the Cable Guy joke).

Gold star to Zully and bleep for guessing Avery! (claps and snaps everyone) Not sure why I chose him, except that I used to write about a character named Averill whom I loved. Thus, Avery got to be the obsessive creep in this story. So... did I do good? I'm curious about what you think. BTW, the last poem in CH5:

**My** love for you grows, an ever-reaching tidal. No  
**Name** nor sound will slake my thirst for you. There  
**Is** only one cure. I need your soul, your eyes calling for me, and  
**Every** story ever written will pale in the passion that we share. (Avery)

I'm impressed about how in depth some people have gone in their analyzations, but it's really no more deep than that...

'Til next time (once I figure out what happens next... eep).


	8. Chapter Eight: My Sweet Prince

**Chapter Eight - My Sweet Prince**

The night wind slapped his cheeks as Harry hurtled through the air. The hands clenched around the smooth wood of his Firebolt were frozen and stiff from hours of travel, and he doubted he'd be able to pry them loose had he the inclination. His skin was long since numb with not even a tingle to show life. His glasses fogged over more than once and he was forced to anxiously bend his head to wipe them on his upper sleeve. He couldn't afford the delay or rest, for every second he wasted he couldn't help feeling guilt for whatever ordeal Luna was facing - and thinking about how he was the only one who could help her.

Harry's mind wandered now to the visions he'd had the previous year of the dark little man's screams for mercy as he was tortured by Voldemort. Now his thoughts were moved towards hatred rather than pity as he recalled the last letter he'd been sent, where the author had signed his name in such large, mocking script, as to convey arrogance and an unworried confidence in his success.

My angel is with me. Do not worry, for she will come to no harm while in my care. If you have any desire to see her again, come to me and come alone, and perhaps we can work out a bargain - if the lady hasn't already decided her heart's desire leads her to me permanently.

Avery

Included with the letter had been a map with a few carelessly scribbled notes on the back about where to meet him - and that if he dared bring another, Harry would never see either of them again. Now, Harry could feel the map like a frozen stone in his pocket and burned with anger as he knew how much Avery must be enjoying his hold over him.

The lights of civilization were far behind him as he sped over the wild, Scottish countryside. He could see very little in the dark and frequently brought his wand out to point him in the right direction. His hair was damp with moisture and he had to take care to fly well below the clouds, lest it freeze to his head.

_Hold on, hold on, hold on_… his mind chanted, both in motivation for himself and as a plea for Luna. He couldn't think about her without rage flooding his veins. If Avery tried anything… if he took advantage of his power and touched her, harmed her in any way…

But for all Harry knew, Luna could be having the time of her life. He remembered her rapturous expression as she gazed at the sky outside the Forbidden Forest that night, eagerly awaiting her love. Perhaps she wanted to be with Avery, and his coming was only an interference and a bonus for Voldemort, as Hermione was quick to point out.

"Harry, you mustn't," she had cried anxiously, her eyes brimming with tears after he'd read her and Ron the latest in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. "You'd be walking into their hands, defenseless. That's exactly what he wants. Let's go to Dumbledore. We should have hours ago. He'll know what to do."

"But I have to go alone! He won't meet me if I'm with anyone."

"Harry, please, listen to me. You must know it's a trap. You can't hand yourself over like it's no big deal. You're too important to the us, the world!"

"And Luna's important to me. I won't stand by while Avery does whatever he likes with her." Frustrated, Harry had appealed to Ron, who met his eyes with an oddly serious gaze. Ron had nodded slightly before lowering his eyes and Harry knew then that somehow his friend understood.

"You do what you must, mate," he said softly, and Harry felt a wave of gratitude towards him.

"_No_. If Harry goes anywhere, we're going with him," Hermione had insisted stubbornly, but Harry shook his head with just as firm resolve.

"I'm going by myself. See Dumbledore if you like. He may be able to help. But for this first part, I need to be alone."

Now, solo and flying in the dark, Harry would have been glad for their company, but didn't regret his decision. He would do nothing to endanger Luna more than she was, and knew doubtlessly that whatever demands Avery made, he would give without question to see her safe.

The small flickering lights beneath him were coming closer together until they concentrated into a little village. His wand buzzed a signal. This was the place.

Harry took care to fly a ways out from the village and landed in a little clump of trees, too sparse to be called a wood. He buried his Firebolt in a pile of dead leaves. It was difficult to leave it behind, a comfort and means of escape, but he knew that strolling through a Muggle town with a broomstick swinging at his side was hardly inconspicuous. Leaving regret aside for anger, Harry started towards the town.

Town was slightly misleading, for the settlement constituted of a handful of buildings alongside the village's main road, which branched off into smaller one lane streets, leading to further apart buildings scattered along the countryside. He walked down the main road, which was devoid of life except for a sprinkling of laughter coming from down the street. Harry knew immediately where he was headed.

The pub was illuminated from the inside by electric lights, incongruous with its obvious age. The dangling wood sign above the door proudly read 'The Fire Fox,' and showed a cross-eyed, cartoon fox on fire, its tongue hanging out and limbs splayed. It was supposed to be comical: Harry wasn't amused.

Coolly ignoring the sign taped to the window that read 'Must be over age to enter tonight," Harry pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Voices and laughter stunned his ears at first, but he didn't pause and strode towards the back of the room where Avery had indicated he'd be waiting. Heads turned as he passed and several people whispered, but no one tried to stop him. Harry was glad - it made things easier, not only for him but them as well, for nothing was going to stop him that night. He hardly cared about exposure at that point.

In the back of the pub, sitting at a little corner table in the shadows, was a man with a midnight blue cloak shielding his face. Gritting his teeth for control, Harry walked towards him. The man was smoking a long pipe that protruded from underneath the cloak and was blowing purple and green smoke rings into the air. The woman at the table next to him watched in fascination, but her companion was so intent on his Guinness and watching _her_ that he didn't notice.

"Overloading on melodrama tonight?" Harry asked when he got close and stopped before the table, his hand dangling over the pocket of his robes.

Avery lowered the pipe and smiled. His eyes glinted black from beneath the cloak. "What's the use of playing the villain if I don't look the part?" he asked and laughed. And then: "Why don't you sit down, Harry?" He gestured to the chair across from him.

Instead of behaving, Harry pulled out his wand and held it levelly before him. "So do you want to do this now or waste more time on small talk?" The woman at the next table gasped a little, her eyes wide, and even the man looked over and blinked stupidly at the scene. But Avery smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"Put that away, Harry. I have not intention of playing games with you. Not yet. I asked you out for a drink and a chat. That's all."

But Harry didn't move. His eyes narrowed to slits as he glared all the hatred he felt. After a moment, Avery lost his smile and frowned at the boy.

"Go ahead. Blast me in front of the whole bloody pub. What should I care? You'll cause a scene, and I must say you'll deserve all the trouble it gets you. Not to mention you'll never see _her_ again. Not without me." He smiled, knowing he had him, and held out his hand. "Give it to me, now. Slowly."

Harry hesitated. The hand gripping the wand shook slightly. He hated the thought, but Avery was right. What _could_ he do without him to lead? Carefully, hating him, Harry placed the wand in Avery's outstretched hand and watched with a sick heart as it disappeared into the folds of his robe.

"Now that your little tantrum is over, sit."

Harry stayed where he was, unmoving.

"Don't be a fool, boy," Avery snapped.

Harry sat.

"That's better." Avery gained his easy smile again and regarded him lazily. "So you came. I must admit I had my doubts. For surely even you wouldn't be _that_ stupid."

Harry said nothing. His hands gripped the seat of the chair beneath him, knuckles white.

"But on the other hand, it's no more than I would have done had our places been reversed. I commend you on your affection. Congratulations. Too bad it will get you nowhere with her."

Harry was tired of his taunting. "Where is she?" he demanded steadily, regardless of his shaking hands.

Avery smiled, liking his directness, amused by the track of his mind. "Safe at my home. Where the hell else should she be?"

"Then what are we waiting for? Take me to her. I don't want to play games either."

Avery regarded him thoughtfully. "True. I suppose if we have anything to say to each other, it can wait. But just so you're aware - you come with me now and there's no getting out. I am not inclined to displays of mercy or kindness, so even though I'll allow you a glimpse of her, it's only time before I hand you over to _him_ and receive my reward. I'm not in the mood to lie to you or give you false hope. If you have any objections, feel free to get up now and walk away. You'll be back in your safe, cozy Hogwarts in no time."

Harry said nothing. He stayed where he was.

Avery burst out laughing.

"Oh, what a joke. All the Dark Lord's scheming and planning, and all it took was for puberty to kick in to trap you so easily. Don't look at me like that; what else did you expect? Oh, I suppose you still think you have a chance of saving her. I can see it in your eyes. You'll scale the walls of my home and escape with her into the dawn on a white horse. Oh, the visions of youth. Well, follow along, young heart, and I'll take you to her. If you don't want to prolong your freedom, that's your concern."

Avery stood in one easy, fluid movement and took a few steps forward before stopping and turning to wait for Harry. He smiled at the staring Muggle and she blushed, much to the annoyance of her male friend. "Come on," he said to Harry. "Our lady awaits." And laughing, he walked out of the pub and into the night.

O O O

Luna was getting tired of waiting. She had paced every inch of the small room three times and gone through the contents of the drawers for something that could help her, but Avery had very thoughtfully removed all sharp objects and magical supplies. This did not mean there was any lack of items in the room. No. She found quite a collection of odds and ends.

There was a jar of ancient coins, some with holes in their centers or shaped like an octagon or rhombus, all of which looked quite valuable. Also sheets of faded, crinkled paper, which appeared to be nothing more than century-old grocery lists. A jewelry box with an ape head on the top that cackled wickedly upon opening - and a silver ring set with a large ruby inside. A moldy box of bat ears. A collection of twigs, neatly tied with a red ribbon. Some ladies' powder and cream. Nothing useful.

Frustrated, Luna glanced again at the door. Avery hadn't _forbidden_ her to wander, just warned her that it was useless to try to leave. Well, she wouldn't. But she could explore. Convincing herself that this was no different than walking the darker corridors of Hogwarts, Luna walked towards the door and boldly pushed it open.

The hall outside was dark and lit with flickering candelabras on the walls, burning with enchanted flames on candles that would never melt. Luna shut the door behind her, feeling it against her back, before stepping forward and down the long hall. She shivered, not only from the drafts sweeping along the old walls but also at the sheer size of the place. The hall looked endless from where she stood, sweeping forever into darkness in both directions. She compared it to the cozy little country house she shared with her father, littered with the useless junk he liked to collect and souvenirs from trips in search of the world's lesser known beasts. It was always bright and cheerful. Not cold and desolate like this mansion.

She came across a large, curvy staircase that led down to a grand library. There must have been thousands of faded, dusty books, most of them probably never read. Luna wandered over to the balcony overlooking the room and started to lean against it but gasped and stepped back to catch her balance when it wobbled before her. Her heart pounded as she backed away. Not that way.

So she walked on down the hall, occasionally peeking inside the rooms she passed. Most were deserted, with furniture covered in white sheets and a strong smell of mildew and moth balls. Unused for years. She didn't know why, but it made her sad. Especially thinking of Avery, wandering perhaps as she was, looking into the empty rooms that used to be filled with family and life, but were now bare and silent…

Luna shook her head and slammed the door to the room she was looking in at that thought. What was she doing? The man was crazy and certainly didn't deserve her pity. But she found she couldn't stop thinking about him, and that he had it regardless. No wonder he had fixated on a stranger - if _this_ was what he lived with every day.

_Forget it_, she ordered herself. Now was not the time for compassion. He _had_ kidnapped her, after all. _Think about that_. So she brushed her pity aside like a gnat and continued along.

The hall was not endless after all. At the end were a pair of white double doors, gilded with gold designs on the front. The handle seemed to be made of gold as well. Luna put her hand on the knob and hesitated. She had a strong feeling that she shouldn't, but what made this room different than every other she'd trespassed? Even though orange shadows of a fire crept under the space between the door and the floor, showing this room was used…

Curiosity got the better of her uneasiness and Luna pulled open the door. It was another bedroom like the one she had, except that this one was about three times as large. A fire flickered in the fireplace on the other side of the room, dying out. Despite the crackle of the flames, a stillness hung in the air. This was Avery's bedroom. She could feel his presence as clearly as if he was standing beside her.

Luna peered around the room, looking at the various pieces of furniture. The little sitting area in the corner with red-upholstered chairs… the large antique wardrobe carved with snakes… the bed, with the same green hangings as hers…

Her eyes fell on a desk on the opposite wall, beside the window, and she walked towards it. A mirror hung above it and she glanced at her reflection, seeing how pale her face was, especially against the white dress. Moon goddess, indeed. She bit her lip.

She sighed and looked down at the desk. There was a little bottle of ink next to several quills and a roll of parchment. Luna touched it gingerly, recognizing the paper. So this is where he sat, writing to her. Gazing up at his reflection thoughtfully and tapping the quill against his teeth, before smiling and busying himself again in the latest letter. Her fingers trailed along the gauges in the wooden desk made from furious writing and her hand came to rest next to a silver picture frame laying face down on the edge of the desk. A lost family member perhaps, some memory so painful he could hardly stand looking at it.

Without thinking, Luna lifted the frame and set it up on its stand. When she saw the picture, she froze.

It was family. Just not his.

Hers.

Her mother as a girl in a Hogwarts uniform, laughing and chatting animatedly with someone outside the frame. Looking as alive as when Luna saw her in her dreams. Even though it was a black and white photo, the light of her golden hair seemed to outshine everything around her. She looked very young, very relaxed and very happy. Completely oblivious that someone was taking her picture. She tossed her curls over her shoulder and smiled at the sky, her eyes faraway, lost in some dream. Luna touched the frame, feeling how cold it was against her fingers. The feeling crept through her skin.

"I knew your mother at Hogwarts," Avery had said. "She never saw me. But now I have her daughter."

_Now I have her daughter_.

Oh, God.

Luna backed away, shivering. She had to get out. Somehow, she had to find a way. She couldn't reason with someone like that, someone who had wanted another for so long that he'd take anything that would bring her back to him, even from beyond the grave…

"There you are," Avery said pleasantly and Luna spun around, swallowing the little squeak that threatened to escape. She couldn't help backing away as he strode towards her so that she was pressed against the desk. Her hand groped behind her and she set the picture frame back into the position she had found it. She didn't want him to know she had seen. She was unsure how he'd react.

"I see you're wearing the dress," he continued, stopping before her. His eyes were interested. "It suits you."

Luna nodded. She didn't know what to say. Didn't know if she _could_ speak. But Avery didn't seem to care whether she ever said a word.

"You've been looking around." He smiled at her fondly. "Good. This is your home, too, after all." Luna blinked at him, trying to control her breathing. How could he act so naturally, as if it was _her_ idea to come?

"I can show you around." He looked so hopeful.

"N… no… that's okay," she managed to say and he shrugged.

"Better for later, anyway. When it's just the two of us. For now, supper is served and our guest is waiting."

Luna's heart leapt at that. _Harry_. He had come. She suddenly found that she was having trouble breathing. She wished he hadn't. How was she supposed to look after herself if she had to worry about what Avery would do to him?

"Take my arm, Diana," Avery said, his eyes intense. Luna felt sick.

"I'm Luna, not Diana."

"Of course you are. Who else should you be?" This with a brilliant smile.

Luna said nothing.

"Let's go." When she didn't move, Avery grabbed her arm and started pulling her from the room. Luna didn't resist, but followed him numbly down the hall, a flight of stairs and around several bends. She was so lost in her thoughts that she noticed nothing at all of her surroundings until Avery pulled her into a dining room with a long, black polished table. The table was set for three with perfectly white china and crystal goblets. More candlesticks sat in the center, lighting the room. First course was already set: soup, with steam lightly rising from the top. A fresh loaf of bread sat waiting beside a slab of butter shaped like a star.

And Harry was tied to a chair beside the cheese wheel.

Luna took a step forward. Stopped. She looked at Avery.

"So we're all gathered here together. How nice," Avery said, striding forward, and pulled out a chair for Luna. He nodded her towards it and she sat warily, her eyes on Harry, who looked back, expressionless. Avery himself sat at the biggest chair at the table's end and beamed at them.

"Oh, don't look so glum, both of you. There's no reason for it. Well, I suppose Harry might be dead tomorrow, so that is cause enough for him, but there's no reason for you to look so sad, my dear. You're here with me. So eat up, eat up, and we'll talk." And with that said, he picked up his spoon and dove into his soup like he hadn't eaten in a week. Green liquid dribbled down his chin.

Luna tore her eyes from him and looked again at Harry. He was watching her, his eyes looking her over, checking to see if she was okay. She wanted to give him an apologetic smile, but her lips trembled and refused to move. His eyes lingered on her dress and he frowned. There was something in his eyes then - was it disgust?

Luna looked away. She felt very small.

Avery licked his lips and smiled at them. He daintily wiped his chin with a black napkin. "Eat," he insisted again. "Harry, you don't like the soup? I made it just for you. Oh, that's right… you can't move your arms." His eyes sparkled. "Well, there's always dessert."

Harry said nothing. His eyes were lowered and he glared at the tablecloth. _He's here because of me_, Luna thought. _Avery will hand him over to You-Know-Who. It's stupid and unfair. And it's all my fault. He wouldn't be in danger if it wasn't for me_. Her eyes started to tear but she blinked and forced them back.

"Darling," Avery said, watching her. "Aren't you eating?" Luna shrugged a little and managed a tiny smile. He reached out and took her hand then, and brought it to his lips. Luna felt cold soup against the back of her hand.

"I'd do anything to make you happy," he said, but his eyes were on Harry. Luna glanced back at Harry, as well, and found him silently glowering at them both. As delicately as she could, Luna extricated her hand from his and brought it to her lap. She wiped it on the tablecloth out of his sight.

"I'm so glad you like it here," Avery continued loudly. "We shall be very happy together." He was taunting Harry, baiting him, and enjoying himself immensely. Luna felt he was having more fun making Harry miserable than trying to please her.

Luna was doing some very quick thinking. She glanced around the table and her eyes came to rest on the candlestick nearest her. It was tall, silver and covered in rubies and emeralds in the pattern of a rose. For a moment it was all she could think about, watching the flames flicker and reflect on the gems, but then she cleared her throat and smiled at Avery.

"Yes, we shall," she said suddenly, surprising herself. Both Harry and Avery looked at her and she swallowed back her wariness to grin at the latter. "You have a very beautiful home."

Avery looked surprised at her sudden interest, but shrugged it off and gave her his warmest smile. "My offer still stands. After supper, when we get rid of this kid, I'll give you a tour such as was never seen in this house. Everything my ancestors built, and the wealth they amassed over the centuries. There are paintings, tapestries, a mountain of old manuscripts. Jewelry. Whatever you like, I will show you."

"I look forward to it," Luna said. She was mostly telling the truth. She looked again at the candlestick. "Like this," she continued. "I've never seen anything so beautiful outside of a museum. It must have cost a fortune." Her hand reached towards it but she stopped herself and slowly closed it into a fist. Hesitantly, she looked at Avery. "Might I have it?" she asked.

Avery had never looked more pleased. "Of course, my dear," he said. "Didn't I tell you that everything I have is yours?" He smirked at Harry who was watching the scene, looking miserable. "See how good I am to her?" he demanded to the boy. "See how I give her everything she wants? Jewels, clothes. What could you offer her? Fizzing Whizzbies?" He laughed.

Luna really liked Fizzing Whizzbies. But of course she didn't tell him that. She took the candlestick in her hand and blew out the flame, only half-listening to Avery continue to contrast himself with Harry. She turned it over in her hands, examining the jewels. It was so beautiful she could hardly take her eyes off it.

"Thank you," she whispered and looked at Avery, true gratitude shining in her eyes. He trailed off in mid-sentence and stared at her, completely struck by her expression. Slowly, Luna stood and went over to him. She knelt by his side, took one of his hands in hers, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. His skin was surprisingly warm beneath her lips.

"My pleasure. Name it, and all I have is yours." Glee shone in his face. He gloated without words, and his lips were twisted in a wide smile. Confidence shot from his eyes: _I win, I win, I win. She's mine. She wants me_. He was so thrilled at beating Harry, that he nearly forgot Luna was in the room altogether.

Which was why he didn't notice when she lifted the candlestick and swung it towards the back of his head.

The silver hit his skull with a sickening impact, and his eyes briefly rolled over to meet hers before he pitched forward onto the table and into his bowl. Soup splashed on the tablecloth and all was silent except for Luna's labored breathing. The hand holding the candlestick trembled and she dropped it on the ground. The resulting 'clang' echoed in the room.

_I did it_, she thought in a strange, abstracted way. _I really did it. I hit him_.

Harry was too stunned to speak, and for a few moments they both stared at the unconscious Avery. Finally, he cleared his throat.

"Is he…?"

"I don't think so," Luna said shakily. She hoped not. She wanted to leave, but she'd never actually wanted to kill anybody. Carefully, she nudged him aside, out of the bowl, and saw that he was breathing. "No," she breathed, very relieved.

Harry was watching her. "I thought you two were…"

"I know," she said. "I'm sorry. I had to."

He still stared. "You didn't…?"

"Please. Not now." Luna brushed her hair out of her face with a shaky hand and looked around the table for something sharp. She grabbed the butter knife and hurried over to Harry to work on the ropes. She may as well have tried to cut through diamond.

"He's enchanted them," Harry said flatly. "If only I had my knife…"

Luna frowned as she struggled with the ropes. "Harry," she started awkwardly, "why did you come?"

"To rescue you," he replied. Luna paused in her efforts to untie him and gave him a look. He blushed and cleared his throat. "Well, I was getting around to it. I really did have a plan."

"Uh huh. Involving what? Oh, this is useless." Luna tossed aside the knife, frustrated.

"His robes. He has my wand. I don't think he's changed."

Luna ran to the end of the table where Avery lay. She hated doing this, searching an unconscious man, and tried to avoid touching him. Mostly she couldn't. He was still so warm.

"Got it," she gasped as her hand closed around something wooden, and she pulled out not only one wand, but two.

"You'd better take his," Harry suggested. "You'll need it."

Luna was already on her way. She hurried back to him and whispered a spell to loosen the ropes. Harry struggled out of them, pulling them over his head and around the chair until he was free. He took his wand from the two Luna was holding out to him and brushed his black hair off his forehead. They both looked at Avery, breathing heavily.

"He's going to be disappointed," Harry said.

"I don't think he knows who I am. Not really," Luna answered quietly. They were silent for another minute.

"Let's go," Harry said softly, and reached for her hand before they both took off running.

Luna remembered very little of what happened next, whether it took a few minutes or hours. His hand felt solid and strong around hers, and what at first gave her hope soon turned to dismay and panic. For no matter which way they turned in the house, they kept returning to the same spot. They would purposely take different routes and stairs, hurrying along new corridors, searching for a door, a window, something! But no sooner than they thought they had discovered a new passage, they found they had returned to a corner or a room they had been through a dozen times before. Avery had been right: _they simply could not get out_. The house had become a labyrinth.

"What do we do?" Luna gasped, holding his hand tightly. Harry looked around, his green eyes dark.

"If he won't let us find an exit, we'll make one ourselves," he said simply, and with that, raised his wand and blew a hole in the wall. Luna threw her hands before her face and coughed as the resulting debris filled the air and splattered against them. When she waved the dust from her eyes, she saw a gaping hole in the wall big enough for a body to slip through. Harry was already on the other side.

"Come on," he insisted, holding out an arm.

Luna clasped his hand with hers and stepped through.

Once they had raced across the empty sitting room he had revealed, Harry lifted his wand and did it again. And again. And yet a further time. "It has to end," he told her, as he crawled through the hole into the fifth room. "It can't go on forever."

But Luna wasn't so sure. Still, she followed him, trusted him. Finally, they blasted their way into a room with a window on the opposite side. They were on the ground level and saw the moon shining from the outside, lighting the field surrounding the house with a silvery glow. Luna and Harry leaned against each other in relief and exhaustion.

"We made it," Harry said. "I knew we would."

Together, they stumbled across the room and lifted their wands at the same time to make the final hole. Harry bent and leaned against his knees to catch his breath. "After you," he said, sounding tired, but happy. Luna looked over her shoulder one final time at Avery's horrible house before stepping through the hole and into the night.

She was in a maze of mirrors. She saw her reflection before her, her dress torn and dirty, her hair more scraggly and disheveled than ever. Luna leaned forward and touched the glass in disbelief. "What?" she whispered, and turned to tell Harry that they had failed, except that Harry had disappeared. The room had disappeared. The mirror behind her showed her reflection, more alabaster pale and frightened than ever.

"Harry? _Harry_!" she screamed, clawing at the glass, but it was useless. She was alone.

"Luna!" She could hear him calling her, but his voice sounded faint, far-away. Desperately, Luna stumbled through the dark, using the light from Avery's wand to show her the way. Her heart raced. Her skin was glazed with sweat. She turned one corner and another, seeing a hundred panicked Luna's running along with her in the mirrors. She turned and ran into one of them. Lost her balance. Fell.

"Luna!" There he was, just ahead of her. Luna struggled to her feet in relief and staggered forward, only to collapse against another mirror. The Harry raced by her. Another reflection. She shut her eyes, feeling tears stream down her dirty cheeks.

"Harry," she cried again and heard him bang against a nearby mirror in frustration.

"Stay there," he insisted. "I'll find you." Luna slid to the ground, her head in her hands. It was hot in the maze but she couldn't stop shaking. They were never going to get away. Avery was going to wake up soon. He was going to win.

She heard footsteps hurrying towards her and opened her eyes in relief. "Harry…" she started, but the hand that grabbed her upper arm was not gentle. It violently squeezed and with a cry Luna was jerked her to her feet.

"You dare betray _me_, bitch?" a dark voice growled and she was shoved back against the mirror. She dropped the wand in surprise, and he quickly retrieved it and held it against her throat. The light lit up his face. Avery.

Blood was dried against his forehead and matted in his hair, looking almost black in the darkness. But more frightening was the expression on his face, in his dark eyes. His teeth were bared and she saw a glint of white teeth as he breathed against her neck. From a distance, she heard Harry calling her name, but it was useless. She was caught in Avery's web.

"So the little white mouse thought it escaped with the cheese and now is trapped." He laughed coldly. "We must punish the naughty children." And then slowly, terrifyingly, Avery began to smile.

* * *

I know! I know! It was Loony Lovegood... in the dining room... with a candlestick... ;) 

Hello and a thousand apologies that it took me so long to get this one up. Completely unacceptable, I know. Well, my computer _did_ crash... and I was too upset to rewrite what I'd lost, so maybe that's excusable. Or maybe not.

Anyway, I think there will only be one more chapter with a possible epilogue. Thanks to all who've been reading thus far! And I'll do my best not to take another few months before updating...


	9. Chapter Nine: Deliverance

**Chapter Nine - Deliverance**

Luna immediately opened her mouth to scream for Harry, but Avery brusquely hissed, "One word and these mirrors move in to crush him. Your choice."

Luna shut her mouth. She looked at him helplessly, with a combination of fear and apology. Avery stared back at her for a long moment, his face twisted with rage… and hurt… before tightening his grip on her arm and tugging her along through the maze after him. Angry Averys were reflected all around her, each furious and shaking in their wrath.

Luna was too afraid of his threat to hurt Harry to make a sound. When he lifted his wand and pointed it at one of the mirrors, making it easily slid aside to reveal a long, empty hallway, she let him pull her through without so much as a whimper.

"What are you going to do?" Luna asked weakly when the mirror slid shut behind them and vanished, but Avery didn't answer. He proceeded to tug her down the hall, towards the twisting staircase at the end. When they reached the bottom step, he finally spoke.

"I thought you loved me. I thought you wanted to be with me." At these words, his grip tightened on her arm.

"Stop it! You're hurting me."

"Good. You deserve it. You're no better than her. Worse, because you actually made me believe you cared. That I had a chance to be loved. Once in my life, and you destroyed that. Congratulations."

Luna gaped at him, mouth open, disbelieving. "I did love you. I trusted you. But _you_ betrayed _me_."

Avery didn't answer, and continued dragging her up the stairs. Luna tried to resist. She caught the edges of the steps with her feet and held onto the railing with her free arm, but her resistance was no more than a nuisance to Avery, who pulled her along as if she weighed no more than a pillow.

"Where are we going?" she gasped.

"To your room. Yes, _your_ room," he repeated, turning to look at her fiercely, "where you are going to stay until you learn a little respect for the man who rescued you from the world."

"_Let me go_," Luna cried, and Avery complied, perhaps surprised by the force in her voice. He released her beside the little balcony overlooking the library, and she stepped away from him, breathing heavily, while he stared at her with furrowed brow.

"How dare you," she said, shaking with fury. "Rescued _me_? Who stole me away from Hogwarts? Who's keeping me here prisoner? I don't remember ever agreeing to come with you, least of all stay. Is that something one does to someone they claim to love?"

"I rescued you," Avery repeated firmly. "The world doesn't want us. It doesn't want you. Or have you forgotten all those times you wrote to me about how you never fit in at Hogwarts? How you often wished you could escape and go somewhere you belonged? What have I ever done but give you _everything_ you wanted?"

Luna was silent for a minute. She could see by the look in his eyes that, in his mind, Avery didn't believe he'd done anything wrong. She _had_ written those things to him. And at the time, she had meant every word.

"It's true. I did say those things," she whispered, wincing to see him fold his arms and smirk. But she wasn't finished.

"I spent most of my time at school in a dream," she continued slowly, "because I guess it was safer living in my head than in the outer world. And you weren't real. You were just someone on paper I could confess my feelings to, like a diary. I did write that I wanted to see you, but that was because I trusted you. I wanted to believe in you, as a friend. But I do have friends at school, real friends who care about me, and if you don't let me go back to them..."

"What, dear girl, what are your little friends going to do? I don't see any of them knocking down my door," Avery sneered, his eyes narrowed.

"Harry…"

"Potter is a fool," Avery said, waving an arm, dismissing him. "That's a different matter. I dare say he'd try to save his worst enemy if the chance came. Although he _does_ have a school-boy crush on you…" Avery's chin quivered. "But he doesn't understand that you and I…"

"Are meant to be together? Just because you had a thing for my mother years ago?" Luna demanded. "And people accuse _me_ of being loony!"

"That's enough." Avery's face darkened. "Don't speak of things you don't understand. You're coming with me _now_."

"No!" Luna fought back when he reached for her this time. "I _won't_. I'm not your possession. I _hate you_!" And with that, she pushed him as hard as she could away from her, not wanting him to touch her again.

Avery's eyes widened in surprise. He stumbled backwards and hit the balcony railing behind him. And with a sudden crack, unable to withstand his momentum or weight, it fell away. Avery started to fall.

Luna didn't think. She let out a cry and rushed forward, reaching for him. His hands groped wildly in the air. But just at the second he could have grabbed her hands and steadied himself, he looked up at her face and something flickered through his eyes. With a strange smile, Avery clenched his fists and pulled them away from her.

He fell.

Luna never knew afterwards how long she spent collapsed against the floor of the hallway, looking down into the library below at Avery's body sprawled on the carpet. His neck was twisted beneath him and yet his lips were curved, smiling up at her. His eyes were glassy, dead. Gone. She stared, unable to look away.

She only knew that sometime later Harry was beside her, tugging at her arms, insisting. "Come on," he urged quietly. "We have to get out of here."

"He fell," Luna explained, looking down at Avery.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"I pushed him." Luna's eyes stared to tear at that admission. Her shock was wearing away and she started to feel the horror of what had happened. Avery had fallen because of her. Dead… because of her.

"It was an accident," Harry repeated quietly, reassuringly. "We have to go. Luna, _please_."

But Luna didn't move. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Avery, lying so still below. Avery whom she had been talking to only moments ago. He had been so alive, his cheeks flushed with anger and emotion. Not now.

"Luna," Harry tried one more time, worried.

She didn't move.

0 0 0

"It was a very brave thing you did," Dumbledore said quietly. "Although I wouldn't expect anything less of you, you do know that the best action would have been to come see me immediately."

Harry was slumped in a chair before Dumbledore's desk, yet again in his office. He looked around, vaguely noticing that everything he had smashed the previous year after Sirius' death had been repaired. The pain he had felt then was still raw in his heart, but at the moment he was more worried about what Luna was feeling after the death of someone _she_ truly had cared for - at, she believed, her own hands.

"Avery's death was an unfortunate accident," Dumbledore started carefully, sensing the direction of his thoughts. "Miss Lovegood will, in time, realize that."

"What's the difference? One less Death Eater to worry about!" Harry burst angrily. The mention of Avery's name still made his blood boil.

"Do you really believe that?" Dumbledore asked quietly, his blue eyes regarding Harry over his half-moon glasses. Harry squirmed in his chair under the heavy gaze. No, of course he didn't. He never would wish anyone dead (with the obvious exception of Voldemort). But he couldn't forgive the man for what he did to Luna just because he happened to no longer be alive.

"I partly blame myself, of course," Dumbledore continued gravely, and Harry looked at him in surprise, wondering how on earth the headmaster could take this upon himself. "You see, I remember young Mr. Avery when he was at school, and his…" He paused, searching for a way to put it delicately. "…interest in Miss Diana Forth, Luna's mother. When the letters and presents started, I should have taken more notice. I should have remembered…"

"How could you have known?" Harry asked, bewildered.

Dumbledore smiled, although his eyes were troubled. "The flowers. Miss Forth never knew who sent them to her week after week, but I have my own ways of finding out what goes on in this castle." Harry's eyes flickered over to the portraits of the former headmasters on the wall, who were watching eagerly and nodding. Noticing his gaze, they quickly turned away.

"He never had the courage to go further than send her secret messages. I never imagined that after all these years… And Miss Lovegood does look very much like Diana." Dumbledore broke off and shook his head.

"He was crazy," Harry said bluntly, feeling that explained everything.

"And yet I cannot help but feel extraordinarily sorry for him. Can you?" Harry shrugged, but felt very uncomfortable. He didn't want to feel anything for Avery - he wouldn't let himself. And anyway, it wasn't Avery he wanted to discuss.

"How is she? Luna?" Harry mumbled, feeling his cheeks redden slightly. Dumbledore looked him over carefully, looking surprised.

"I assume you have been to see her in the hospital wing?"

"She… she doesn't want to see me." Harry shut his mouth firmly. It hurt to say it out loud.

"Ah." There was not so much as a twinkle in those blue eyes. "She is doing as well as can be expected. But I believe that she has extraordinary healing powers, and she will recover. She just needs a few days to herself. I want to keep her safe from the questions of the other students until she is ready to face them." Dumbledore was silent for a minute, and then added, "I wouldn't take it personally. I doubt she feels much like seeing anyone."

Harry frowned, wrestling with his thoughts. "I think… I think maybe she blames me for it," he said carefully, looking up at Dumbledore guiltily. "If I hadn't gone and screwed things up… you're right, I should have come to you first…"

"No." Dumbledore looked for a moment like he wanted to reach across his desk and touch Harry's hand, but simply shook his head. "We cannot always see what the consequences of our actions will be, and there is little use trying. You did what you thought was right, and I somehow think that either way the night could not have ended well. You did nothing wrong."

Harry shrugged, feeling little comfort from this. For it mattered very little what Dumbledore thought… and everything what Luna did. And the truth was that she didn't want to see him, and maybe never would.

0 0 0

Luna stood on a hill, surrounded by all the richest wildflowers of spring. A rainbow of colors blanketed the hill and spread out into the distance as far as she could strain her eyes. All this color - it reminded her of something…

But it didn't matter, standing here under the sunshine, basking in the warmth of day. She was waiting, and content to wait forever if it came to that.

A hand slipped into hers. "You know, you can smell the sea from here if you close your eyes," he said, and Luna turned with a smile.

"What is it like?"

He paused. "Endless, deep. Dark."

She sighed contentedly, and hummed at the passing clouds. "I should like to see it with you."

Horrible laughter followed this and Luna frowned at him in confusion. His smile was no longer mild, but grim.

"I would have taken you anywhere. To the sea and beyond death. But you sent me there first."

And no longer was his face there smiling at her, but a grinning skull perched upon a bloated body. Luna dropped his hand and backed up a few steps, a scream choked in her throat. A long skeletal arm reached for her and then Luna was falling - falling, like Avery had - down the hill and into the abyss that waited below. All at once her throat cleared and Luna was able to scream and scream…

…And she sat up with a sharp cry. Luna trembled and covered her eyes, but couldn't blot out the horrible image of the grinning skull Avery watching her fall and laughing. She shivered uncontrollably, not knowing where she was, not caring. The dark gaping eyes of the skull followed her even when she was awake.

"Luna!"

At her name, Luna lowered her hands and looked around warily to see a white-faced Ginny. Of course - she was at Hogwarts, in the hospital wing, and Ginny had come to visit her, as she had nearly every day since the terrible accident. With full remembrance upon her, Luna's eyes started to fill and with a panicked look, Ginny dumped her books on the nearest empty bed and came to sit beside Luna. She took her shaking hands and squeezed them gently.

"Was it another dream?" she asked anxiously and Luna nodded.

"He'll never let me free. Even dead, he haunts me," she whispered and Ginny shook her head fiercely.

"It's only a dream," she said consolingly, "and no wonder! After what you've been through."

"What I've been through?" Luna echoed numbly. "I killed _him_."

"An accident," Ginny insisted firmly, much as Harry had done. Luna bit her lip. Thinking about Harry hurt as well. "No one blames you," Ginny continued slowly, but Luna shook her head.

"I know. But I do, and that's enough." She didn't want to talk about Avery.

Ginny seemed to sense the direction of her thoughts. "You know," she started carefully, "Harry misses you. We all do. It would mean everything to him if you let him come see you…"

Luna's blood rushed hot and cold. "How could I?" she cried and Ginny blinked her surprise.

"Then he's right," she said with slightly narrowed eyes. "You've somehow worked it in your mind that this is all _his_ fault?"

"No. No, of course not. It's only… how can I face him after what happened? It's all my fault, everything. If I hadn't been so stupid, I never would have put him in danger. I can't see him knowing what I did. On one hand… Avery is dead. But if he lived, he would have kill Harry, or turned him over to You-Know-Who. I know that. And knowing what could have happened, why would Harry ever want to see _me_?"

Luna's eyes were filled with tears after this, and thus was doubly surprised when Ginny burst out laughing. Her tears turned to anger and then confusion as Ginny hiccupped and waved her hand.

"I'm sorry," she gasped. "It's just… the both of you! Each blaming the other for something neither of you could have prevented or helped. You're both being so stupid!"

Luna blinked. "He thinks… I blame _him_?"

"Yes! Haven't I told you before? Oh well." Ginny waved another hand, grinning impishly. "Now you know. The question is, what are you going to do about it? I think yours is the next move. Oops, I'm going to be late to Potions!" And with that, Ginny, smiled and hurried out of the room with Luna staring wide-eyed after her, wondering.

0 0 0

"You need to let her go, mate. There's nothing else you can do about it," Ron said, biting into a vibrantly red apple.

"He's right, Harry," Hermione piped in sympathetically. "You've done all you can."

"It's better, anyway, to drop it now," Ron said, his voice muffled among bits of chewed apple, "before everyone finds out you're in love with Loony Lovegood."

Harry stared at him, not comforted. "Thanks, Ron," he muttered emotionlessly, but inside felt little better than miserable. He didn't know how much more if this silence, this distance, he could take. And love was supposed to be about warm, fuzzy feelings!

Ron tossed the apple core away from him and stood to stretch. Autumn wind ruffled his hair as he yawned and looked around the courtyard. "It's getting late. We should go study for McGonagall's test," he announced.

Hermione stood and brushed herself off. "Coming from you? I'm amazed. Ready, Harry?"

"In a minute." Harry's voice was oddly strained, and both Ron and Hermione looked at him before following his gaze to a girl standing alone, halfway across the courtyard.

"Oh." Ron sounded confused for a moment before ginning and thumping Harry on the shoulder. "I see. Well, we're off, then. Take your time."

And smiling, both he and Hermione trotted off towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry sat frozen in his place on the stone bench, watching Luna standing so silently away from him. His heart was running a race with his thoughts, each competing with the other. Luna was watching him, her face grim and hands clasped together. Nervously, feeling he was in a dream, Harry felt himself stand and somehow managed to walk over to her.

His feet halted several paces from her, unable to go on. Luna smiled, but her lips trembled. Silence spread between them, until each gathered the courage and simultaneously said, "I'm sorry."

They stared at each other in surprise. Then Luna smiled again and feeling started to return to Harry's chest. "We've both been little idiots, haven't we?" Luna said wryly.

Harry swallowed. "Are you…?"

"I'm fine. Really, I am." She paused, and then added, hesitantly, "Would you like to take a walk?" And under the warmth of her smile, Harry could only nod.

"I never thanked you, for coming after me," Luna continued as they turned. Gently, she reached out and took his hand in hers, giving it a little squeeze.

And Harry knew then without a doubt that everything was going to be alright. It truly would.

Together, Luna and Harry walked out onto the grounds into the fading daylight, and the wind whistling through the Forbidden Forest whispered no name but theirs.

* * *

Finally complete! Sorry about the inexcusibly long wait, and thanks to everyone who stuck with me through it all and read. I've never been very good at endings, and had an especially hard time with this one, searching for something that was believable and not too corny (hopefully I succeeded). Let me know what you think, and thanks again! 

PoW


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